Rules of the Game
by Scribe Shiloh
Summary: [DISCONTINUED with plans for massive revision] Kakyou discloses some vital information concerning Seishirou, which will alter the events at Rainbow Bridge. Can a yumemi truly alter the rules of the game of fate...or is it just illusion?
1. A Bit of Knowledge

[This is only the second fanfiction that I've written for this series, and the first actual long story...so bear with me. No, I -don't- have manga volume 16, and even if I did, I can't read Japanese...so it wouldn't help me. I've gone over scripts, seen the anime version, and pretty much know what goes on and what's said. Pretty much. What I'm saying is, if I get something wrong, don't kill me okay? I'll send Seishirou after you. ^^ Most of this will attempt to go along with the manga's past, of course, but things could get a little tweaky since I've both been watching the anime and reading the manga (what's in english so far).   
  
I've no idea how this will turn out, if it'll be good, or if any eyes other than myself will ever read this. Oh, and this is an AU "what if" scenario of Rainbow Bridge, so there are definite SPOILERS for X manga vol. 16. So...enough of my babbling. ^^ ONWARD!]  
  
SUMMARY: Subaru goes to see Hinoto before he leaves to protect Rainbow Bridge. She brings him into one of her Dreamscapes, intending to further deceive him, when Kakyou breaks into her Dream, much like he did with Kamui once. He wishes to honor Hokuto's purpose in casting her last spell, so Kakyou then tells Subaru of Seishirou's intentions at the Bridge, and thus changes the events there. In other words, this is Feye's attempt at fixing Rainbow Bridge. Everyone tries it, so why not? ^^ Don't worry, I DO get original ideas. Just check my Escaflowne fanfiction for proof of THAT.  
  
RULES OF THE GAME: PART ONE by Feye Morgan  
  
An Oracle once told the people of Athens that wooden walls would save their city. There was confusion at her words, and no one knew quite what she meant. However, they bowed their heads to her wisdom, and went forth to battle.  
  
The wooden walls did indeed save Athens.  
  
It makes one wonder why yumemi dream at all. If what they see is Fate, then why Foresee it? If the future is predetermined, why bother to know it? The only reason for seeing the future is the chance to change what it shows. If yumemi did not bother to tell what they See in their dreams, would the future change? And what if they did not dream at all? Who knows if it might, just might, be different?  
  
And even if it was, would anyone know the difference?  
  
The shadowy shape of a bridge spanned the mists over water. It was empty: too early for traffic of any kind. Empty until a solitary person leapt down from the high supports above to land on the cold pavement. It was a young man in his mid-twenties. He wore a white trenchcoat over the black pants and turtleneck that covered his too-thin frame. Hospital bandages were wrapped around his head, covering his right eye. He walked over to the railing and leaned on it, looking down into the water. He was waiting for someone.  
  
If a yumemi lies about a future he or she has seen, does that have any effect on what will happen? Especially if the future is one based on misunderstanding. If the players knew beforehand all intentions, would the rules of the game change?  
  
Subaru heard another person land some distance behind him. He did not need to turn around to know who stood there, but turn around he did.  
  
The two onmyoujis walked towards each other, expressions unreadable. They halted not three feet apart. Seishirou wore his perpetual smile, cold and elegant as always. He reached inside his own black trenchcoat to pull out a cigarette, and held it forth while Subaru lit it for him. The years had changed little where they were concerned...at least on the outside.  
  
Something the yumemi for the Dragons of Earth had said to Subaru had startled him. He had gone to see the Dragon of Heaven yumemi before he had left to defend Rainbow Bridge, to ask some questions. She had taken him into her Dreamscape, but they had been interrupted by a stronger yumemi. The one of the Dragons of Earth. Kakyou. And he had told him something very interesting indeed. He did not know how the subject of the Sakurazukamori had come up, but afterwards, he no longer cared: he just wanted to know -why-.   
  
Seishirou walked past him to stand several feet away, his back towards Subaru's. "It has been a long time, Subaru-kun."  
  
Subaru said nothing, only flipped out his ofuda. The fight had begun.  
  
*Seishirou-san,* Subaru thought to himself as he dodged one of the dark onmyouji's attacks, *I know your Wish now, and it confuses me. Why does it contrast and yet mirror my own so closely?*  
  
He could have smiled when Seishirou conjured up his maboroshi, and vines of Sakura wrapped around his limbs. He flipped out an ofuda and slit his thumb on one sharp edge. The blood magic banished the illusion.  
  
"You didn't have to do that, you know, Seishirou-san," he commented. "I have been held captive by the Sakura ever since you bound me."  
  
Seishirou looked at Subaru from behind his dark sunglasses. "The Kamui of the Dragons of Earth told me that I am the only one who can grant your Wish." He reached up and pulled off the glasses, revealing one cold amber eye and one blank white. "He also said that your Wish isn't that I think it is."  
  
Subaru said nothing. He stood stoically, watching Seishirou, and waiting for him to continue.  
  
"Isn't your Wish to kill me?" There. It had been asked.  
  
A gust of wind came up from behind Subaru, taking hold the the end of the bandages around his head, which had been loosened in the fight. It pulled and they unwound, fluttering off past Seishirou. Subaru made no move to stop it. Seishirou blinked, looking at the right eye that was now blind and sightless as his own.  
  
"No, it isn't." Subaru paused. Again, what the yumemi had told him ran through his mind. He continued. "My Wish ought to be the same as yours."  
  
Seishirou's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh? And what might that be?"  
  
"You tell me, Seishirou-san." Subaru would have walked toward the other, except that there was a rubble-filled chasm between them. They both stood on jutting pieces of concrete on either side.  
  
Seishirou did not reply. The two stood facing each other, waiting for someone to break the silence. Finally, the dark onmyouji frowned slightly and said: "Does that mean that you do not know?"  
  
Subaru smiled a little. "No."  
  
"No, you do not know? Or no, you do know?"  
  
Subaru looked at Seishirou, studying him. Then he sprung unto the air, flipped over the chasm, and landed behind the other. Seishirou half-turned to look at him, waiting. Subaru approached Seishirou, hands open and without ofuda. The Sakurazukamori let him, curiosity escaping his stoic expression. Mild surprise showed on his features once more when Subaru came close to him and placed one hand over his heart.  
  
"I know, Seishirou," he said quietly. "But I will not tell you. I want you to tell me."  
  
Seishirou stared at him for several long moments. "What is your Wish, Subaru-kun?"  
  
"You mean what was it? It has changed since, I think." Subaru looked down briefly, studying the hand over the Sakurazukamori's heart. "It was to die at your hands."  
  
Seishirou placed a hand under Subaru's chin and lifted his gaze. "Why?"  
  
Subaru shrugged. "I tried my best to keep you out of my heart. I tried so hard to hate you, but in the end I couldn't. I figured that the only thing to do was to let you kill me. At least that way, even though I would be only one of countless of your victims...it would be you. I...I love you Seishirou."  
  
There. He had said it. He had said what had lain, secret even from himself, in his heart for nine long years. Now, he waited. There was a long, long pause as Seishirou absorbed this startling information and connected it Subaru's odd behavior.  
  
"Subaru-kun...you don't love me," he started. Subaru felt anger slowly rising in him. He fought it down and let the dark onmyouji continue. "You love the kindly veterinarian who never existed." Seishirou looked down at Subaru as if this explained everything, and that the younger man ought now to just step away and resume trying to kill him.  
  
Instead, Subaru laughed harshly. "No, Seishirou-san, you don't understand." He caught the elder man's eyes with his own. "I didn't love you back then."  
  
Seishirou's eyes widened. This was news indeed.  
  
"I thought I did, back then," Subaru continued. "I thought I loved you, but...it didn't take me long to realize that I was wrong. I had had a crush on you, yes, and it was my first so it was strong. But it wasn't love." He paused. "I fell in love with you since then. So don't give me that excuse. I know who and what you are...and it still doesn't matter."  
  
Seishirou stared. "Subaru-kun...I don't care for you. You know that."  
  
Subaru shook his head, still smiling slightly. But the smile had a harsh edge to it. "Then explain your Wish to me, Seishirou-san. I, too, have spoken with someone who has seen your Wish, and told me that it is not what I had thought. I know what it is. It is the same as mine was."  
  
Seishirou masked his face into his regular, emotionless mask with the meaningless half-smile. "Don't be so sure of yourself, Subaru-kun." He moved quickly, taking hold of the hair on the back of Subaru's head and pulling down, forcing the younger man's head back, arching his back upwards, and pushing him off balance. The Sakurazukamori's hand on his head kept Subaru from falling backward. He raised his right arm and made his hand into a shuto* by his cheek. He aimed at his prey's heart. "I would not hesitate to strike."  
  
Subaru's eyes widened. He knew what the other man was truly planning. The yumemi for the Dragons of Earth had told him something else, something very interesting indeed, this time concerning Hokuto.  
  
"Seishirou," Subaru said, trying to keep his voice calm. "I know about Hokuto-chan's last spell. I know what will happen if you strike. It won't be me that dies." Subaru struggled to raise his head to look at the assassin, but the hand gripping his hair held firm. "Please, don't leave me."  
  
A long silence. Subaru prayed Seishirou wouldn't strike, wouldn't kill himself. Prayed that the man had enough sense to see reason.  
  
Finally he spoke. "You can't stop me, you know," Seishirou's voice was calm, but the usual composure seemed to waver a bit.  
  
"I know. But if you leave me, I'll die. I know it sounds selfish...but I live for you."  
  
"You need to live for yourself."  
  
"Why? There's no meaning to life without you, Seishirou-san. All these long years since the bet ended have been spent looking for you. If I haven't found anything else in that time, then I never will."  
  
"You don't know that."  
  
"I DO know that!" Subaru lost his temper and yelled. The other man could be so stubborn and so stupid! "I can guarentee you that if you strike, this kekkai will fall. Don't do that to me, Seishirou-san."  
  
Again there was a long silence. Subaru's neck and back began to ache, but he didn't dare try to break free. It might push Seishirou to do something that Subaru would regret. Finally, he felt the fingers in his hair unclench and draw away, pulling Subaru back upright. The onmyouji looked up at Seishirou. The older man's arms were hanging at his sides.  
  
"What now?" the Sakurazukamori asked simply. He looked expectantly at Subaru.  
  
Subaru locked eyes with his other star. "No lies, Seishirou. Do you feel anything for me? Anything at all?"  
  
Seishirou paused, considering. Or maybe he was debating whether it was any use to lie anyways. "Yes," he said at last.  
  
Subaru never wavered. "What do you feel?" he pressed.  
  
Seishirou frowned slightly, unsure of himself. He searched through his vocabulary for the right words. "An...ache?" he said, half to Subaru and half to himself. He nodded. "An ache. And...something else." He shifted uncomfortably. "I...don't know what it is." He said the last part quietly and quickly, as if embarrased (was he able to feel embarrased?) to admit such a thing.  
  
"Do you want to kill me?"  
  
Seishirou blinked at the younger man. "You are my prey."  
  
"That doesn't answer the question."  
  
Seishirou opened his mouth, and then snapped it shut. Once he might have replied that it did indeed answer the question. But now...it seemed that the Sumeragi was right. The problem was that he shouldn't be right. Subaru was his -prey-. It was his purpose to -kill- his prey. But he didn't want to kill Subaru.  
  
But Subaru was his prey.  
  
The younger onmyouji could see the battle waging inside Seishirou's head. "You don't, do you?"  
  
Slowly, Seishirou shook his head. Subary merely smiled and took ahold of the elder man's hand. "Let's go," he said softly. Inside, Subaru felt warm. He had gotten what he had wanted all these years. There was no room to feel resentment towards the man for what he had done in the past. Not yet, anyways. Seishirou was, of all things, fragile and insecure at the moment. The wrong thing said could shatter everything Subaru had just accomplished.  
  
Seishirou simply looked at him. Subaru let go of his hand briefly to draw his kekkai back, leaving the bridge unharmed.  
  
"Go where?" the Sakurazukamori asked.  
  
Subaru shrugged and took hold of Seishirou's hand once more. "Away from here," he replied obviously. Then he added: "home, I suppose."  
  
"Where is home, then?"  
  
Subaru paused again. He had recently moved in with Sorata, Arashi, Kamui, and Yuzuriha. If he walked in with Seishirou in tow...bad things would happen. Very bad things.  
  
"On second thought, let's skip home. How about some ice cream?"  
  
Seishirou blinked. Ice cream? Apparently the Sakurazukamori wasn't the only one who was acting strange. "Sure," he replied carefully.  
  
Subaru smiled, a little bit of warmth creeping in. It would turn out all right. After all, it was just Destiny. Destiny could change. He would prove it.  
  
A moment later Rainbow Bridge was deserted once more. The sun began to creep over the horizon, illuminating the tops of scyscrapers. The city began to wake, and somewhere in Tokyo, an ice cream shop that had just opened up for the day welcomed its first customers.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
*shuto-- "knife-hand". Used often in the Japanese martial art "Taijutsu". Seishirou forms his hand into a shuto whenever he kills someone by striking his hand through his victim's heart.  
  
[Right-o...so I've decided to post this, as you see. Please do tell me whether or not you want me to continue this. I have a vague idea of where it might be going, so if you want me to go further, suggestions are nice. I do have a plan...it just needs, um, fillers. ^^] 


	2. Ice Cream and Roommates

AN: Well! I'm glad this piece has been well-received! ^_^ True to my word, I'm continuing this story. I have a more clear idea of where it might be going...but half of the fun in writing lies in the characters playing nasty tricks on the plot. Never plan too far ahead ^^;;  
  
I hope you all like this next chapter, and please, don't forget to review. Even if it's just a short sentence, let me know what you think!  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
Feye: Hello!  
  
Salivating lawyers: Sue...sue...mine...mine!  
  
Feye: *blinkblink* Um...*holds out college tuition bill* I am a poor college student. I have no money. I don't own X/1999.  
  
Lawyers: *wilt*  
  
Seishirou: That's right. Sod off.  
  
Feye: *stares at Seishirou*  
  
Seishirou: ...what?  
  
Feye: *shakes head* ONWARD!  
  
RULES OF THE GAME: PART TWO by Feye Morgan  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
Seishirou kept coming back to the same dilemma. Outwardly, it looked like a simple paradox, one that the master onmyouji should have had no trouble cracking.  
  
But, as he slowly spooned ice cream into his mouth, he found that he could not. He gazed at the man sitting opposite him.  
  
Sumeragi Subaru was his prey, marked with the inverted pentagrams. This meant that the Sakurazukamori should kill him.  
  
But, Seishirou didn't want to kill Subaru.  
  
But he should want to.  
  
But--  
  
"Seishirou-san?" The dark onmyouji's musings were cut short by the other's question. "You've been staring at me for quite a while now. Care to divulge your thoughts?"  
  
Seishirou blinked and sighed. He considered refusing, but he knew that Subaru would only pester him even more until he finally broke down.  
  
"I'm..." Seishirou paused. he had been about to say 'confused', but he didn't want to tell his star that. It was difficult enough to admit it to himself. "...unsure," he finished. *As if that's so much of a better word,* he thought darkly.  
  
Subaru waited expectantly.  
  
"I'm supposed to want to kill you," Seishirou explained. "But I don't."  
  
Subaru blinked. A small smiled tugged at his lips. "And that's confusing you? It's quite simple, Seishirou-san; you have feelings for me."  
  
"But I shouldn't. I'm supposed to be emotionless."  
  
"But you aren't."  
  
Seishirou nodded.  
  
"And this is a bad thing?" Subaru quirked an eyebrow at him.  
  
"I'm the Sakurazukamori," Seishirou said, as if the problem was obvious.  
  
"So?" Subaru still wore the soft smile.  
  
"The Sakurazukamori doesn't -have- feelings!" he said, exasperatedly. His teeth clenched down harder than normal on his spoon as he ate another bite of ice cream.  
  
"Well," Subaru stuck his spoon into his ice cream and laced his fingers together in front of himself, "you're the Sakurazukamori, and you have feelings, so therefore that statement is terminally flawed."  
  
Seishirou shot him a withering look. It bounced harmlessly off of Subaru's sunny expression.  
  
"Honestly, Seishirou. Give me one good, convincing reason -why- having feelings for me is bad." Subaru rested his chin on his still-folded hands, and looked into Seishirou's mismatched eyes. He waited.  
  
The dark onmyouji's mouth opened, and then shut. He stared back at the other man.  
  
Subaru smirked and spooned some ice cream into his mouth. "Take your time."  
  
Seishirou glared again, and stoically took a bite of his own ice cream. It was half-melted by now, as was Subaru's.  
  
"The Dark Kamui will kill me," he came up with eventually.  
  
"He hasn't killed Kusanagi yet," Subaru replied, not missing a beat.  
  
Seishirou blinked. he remained silent for a few moments, processing Subaru's statement. "I didn't know that Kusanagi was seeing a Dragon of Heaven, and I doubt if the Dark Kamui knows either. Besides, he seems set on staying out of the battle in either case. I've been quite active, on the contrary."  
  
"Yes, we all noticed," Subaru remarked dryly.  
  
Seishirou ignored him. "I think "Fuuma" would have a problem with me pulling out of the fight."  
  
Subaru tilted his head at his opposite star. "Would you really?" he asked.  
  
"Would I really what? Pull out of the fight?" At Subaru's continued stare, Seishirou nodded. "I can't hurt you, and I've noticed that you are quite close to the other Dragons of Heaven, especially Kamui. Therefore, if I attacked any of the Ten no Ryu...I would be hurting you."  
  
Subaru pondered this. "Well, you -were- planning on dying, so that wouldn't have been much different that pulling out of the battle," he offered.  
  
Seishirou gave him a -look-. "Subaru. I would have been -dead-. There would have been nothing he could -do- about it. But if I'm -alive- and not fighting out of -choice-, he'll be after my blood. He'd consider it treason." Actually, Seishirou wasn't too certain that this was true. The Dark Kamui was too volatile for him to decipher. But Seishirou wasn't about to take the chance, either, on the probable offhand that "Fuuma" did take objection.  
  
"Hmm..." Subaru frowned, and ate more of his nearly-liquid ice cream as he pondered this. "We could protect you," he said.  
  
Seishirou raised his eyebrows at the choice of words. "Who is 'we'?" he asked dubiously.  
  
"The Dragons of Heaven, of course."  
  
Seishirou's laugh was harsh. "Honestly, Subaru-kun, why would -they- protect me?" The mere idea was ludicrous.  
  
"Because, firstly," Subaru began to tick off reasons on his fingers, "you've sworn not to fight, secondly, you've shown that you aren't as heartless or emotionless as we all thought, and lastly, I love you, and at least some of my feelings are returned."  
  
Seishirou shook his head. "They have no reason to trust me," he protested.  
  
Subaru sighed, and set his spoon down in his now-empty cup. "You're right: they don't. You have to -earn- their trust. In the meantime, they'll protect you for my sake. I know at least Kamui is aware of how much you mean to me."  
  
Seishirou mulled this over, and silently was forced to agree that Subaru's logic was good.  
  
"I really don't know why..." Subaru's voice had changed to be softer and full of a wistful melancholy. Seishirou's head snapped up to look at him, startled by the switch in tone. "They all seem to care about me so much, but I don't know why. I'm so selfish. They all worry about me, but all I think about is myself..." Subaru's green eyes were downcast and cloudy.  
  
"No!" Seishirou found himself protesting. Subaru looked up, startled. "You are very kind, Subaru-kun," he said firmly. "-Very- kind."  
  
He stared at the dark onmyouji in confusion and surprise. "Why should you, of all people, say that?" he asked. "Back at the Bridge, I didn't even think of what you wanted! All I thought of was myself."  
  
Seishirou didn't really understand the reason (if there was one) behind the Sumeragi's mood swing. But he did understand that he needed comforting (an alien concept to Seishirou. Or, at least, heartfelt comforting was). But he owed it to Subaru to at least try.  
  
"Subaru-kun," he began, "my wish is to see you happy." *At least, I'm pretty sure it is,* he thought. "I had thought that you wished to kill me. Now that I know for certain otherwise..." he shrugged. "Subaru-kun, you are not selfish. A little self-centered maybe, but you have every right to be. You are the kindest person I know. That is why so many people care about you."  
  
Subaru stared at him in wonder. "Seishirou-san..."  
  
Seishirou looked down and finished the last of his ice cream, his face betraying nothing. It made him extremely uncomfortable to know that the words he had just heard had come out of his own mouth. He felt it was incredibly uncharacteristic of him.  
  
What was it about Subaru that made him act like this? It was unnerving. What were those...emotions...that he felt again? An ache, he had told the younger man.  
  
And something else. Something else he could not identify. *Of course I can't identify it,* he thought testily. *I've never -felt- emotions before. How would I be able to identify what is obviously a complex one?* Seishirou would just let it go for now. Maybe in time it would become clear to him. He was, if anything, a very patient man.  
  
He looked back up to find Subaru still watching him. They stared at each other, the silence between them becoming more uncomfortable as the time grew.  
  
"Our ice cream is finished," Seishirou observed after some time.  
  
"Mmm." Subaru pushed his cup around the table with his spoon. "I suppose we should go home, then," he said after a few more moments.  
  
Seishirou stiffened, a barely perceptible reaction. "Your home?"  
  
Subaru nodded. "With the others."  
  
A pause. Then: "I thought you lived alone, in an apartment."  
  
Subaru nodded. "I did. I only moved in with some of the other Seals very recently. Kamui kept asking me to."  
  
Seishirou frowned as yet another tiny emotion surfaced. It felt a little like the ache, only tighter and harsher. After a moment's thought, and perusing through the memory of what he knew of emotions from observation and reading, he identified it as jealousy.  
  
Why on earth would he be feeling jealousy? How confusing.  
  
Seishirou kicked himself mentally, and ordered his brain to return to functioning as normal. Predictably, it didn't listen. He forced himself to concentrate on the conversation.   
  
"That means that explanations will be in order," he concluded.  
  
Subaru nodded, and rubbed his temples in anticipation of the headache soon to come. "Unfortunately." Then a thought seemed to strike him, and he looked up intently at the older man. "Seishirou...I'm being selfish again. I haven't even asked if you want to come with me." There was an apologetic look in the green eyes.  
  
Seishirou blinked, and then thought for a moment. He nodded. "Yes, I want to go with you." He shrugged. "After all, where else can I go?"  
  
Subaru smiled slightly and rose to gather their empty ice cream cups. Seishirou watched him as he disposed of them. The younger man was truly graceful, and quite beautiful. Seishirou had never denied this; he appreciated beautiful things.  
  
But it seemed now that Subaru was more than just a thing.  
  
Subaru took hold of Seishirou's hand once more, and, ignoring the stares they received from the other customers in the shop, left.  
  
Neither of them had money for a taxi, nor did they feel like taking one if they had. They wound up arriving at Subaru's residence in the trademark style of Seals and Angels; landing gracefully from the air onto the sidewalk in front of the apartment.  
  
"I hope I've caught them before they've left," Subaru muttered. At Seishirou's raised eyebrow, he explained. "Our yumemi predicted that another kekkai was due to fall today, so most of them are going to protect that. I was the only one left to protect Rainbow Bridge, but I went earlier than planned today."  
  
Seishirou frowned slightly. "Subaru...you said that your yumemi told you about my Wish?" He had forgotten to ask about that earlier.  
  
Subaru turned around. Apparently he, too, had forgotten. "No, actually. I went to see our yumemi, but when she took me into her Dreamscape, your yumemi interrupted."  
  
Seishirou blinked, visibly surprised. "Kakyou?" he asked.  
  
Subaru nodded.  
  
Seishirou stood silent in thought. *Now why would Kakyou do such a thing?* he thought curiously.  
  
"Apparently he wanted to make certain that Hokuto-chan's last spell wasn't wasted," Subaru explained, sensing the other man's confusion.  
  
Seishirou blinked again. "Kakyou knew Hokuto-chan?"  
  
Subaru nodded. "Apparently he loved her." Subaru said this without emotion, carefully keeping any resentment he still had left against Seishirou concealed.  
  
The Sakurazukamori's eyes widened slightly in realization. *So she is Kakyou's "special person". That is why he wants to die* He frowned, wondering if he should feel regret or not...wondering if indeed he did feel regret, and just hadn't recognized it yet. *Emotions are too confusing. My life was much simpler without them* Seishirou thought, annoyed.  
  
"You should probably wait out here," Subaru told Seishirou. "They might try to kill you on sight, otherwise."  
  
Seishirou raised an eyebrow. "You think so? Even if you're with me?"  
  
Subaru paused. "Hmm..." The younger man pondered whether or not to risk it. Then again, he doubted if other Seals would attack in such a location unless provoked first by the Sakurazukamori. He motioned for the other man to walk with him. Seishirou complied, after replacing his sunglasses on his nose, and followed a step behind Subaru as he opened the door and strode inside.  
  
"Tadaima!" he called. Seishirou instinctually took survey of the room. A young man he knew from talking to Yuuto to be Sorata sat on a couch in the living room. A cheerful-looking girl walked out of the kitchen holding a tray of tea, while being followed by a spirit-dog. She was accompanied by a more somber girl with long ebony hair. Kamui was nowhere to be seen...at the moment.  
  
Any greetings they had on their lips died as soon as they spotted Seishirou. All three recognized him instantly by his aura. He had, after all, attacked them once before at the Diet building, and he remembered Sorata and the somber girl watching him fight Subaru at their first meeting, before the Dark Kamui had awoken.   
  
Their reaction was instantaneous. The spirit dog stepped in front of the cheerful girl, growling menacingly. Sorata leapt to his feet, tense and ready to spring. The other girl extended her hand, which glowed brightly for a moment before a katana shot out from her palm. A very tense silence followed.  
  
"It's all right," Subaru assured them hastily. "Seishirou-san has no intentions of harm."  
  
Sorata's eyes narrowed. "Sakurazukamori," he confirmed, studying Seishirou calculatingly. He looked at Subaru. "How do you know?" He frowned. "And why are you protecting him? I thought you hated him."  
  
The somber girl drew her katana in front of herself. "What is he doing here?" she asked Subaru.  
  
"Arashi, Sorata, it's okay, really," Subaru said again. They waited for an explanation, never letting their guard down once. Seishirou merely watched passively from behind his dark glasses.  
  
"Where's Kamui?" Subaru asked first. "He should hear this too."  
  
"I'm right here," a voice came from upstairs. Seishirou heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and the slight figure of the leader of the Dragons of Heaven appeared. Violet eyes widened in surprise when they rested on Seishirou. There was another moment of silence. Then: "Subaru? What is he doing here?"  
  
"You'd better sit down. All of you."  
  
Kamui blinked, and Arashi's eyes narrowed suspiciously at Seishirou. However, the four cautiously did as Subaru asked.  
  
"You all know I've been looking for the Sakurazukamori."  
  
Sorata and Kamui nodded. "For nine years," Kamui added, his violet eyes darting back and forth between the two onmyoujis.  
  
Subaru nodded. "You've probably all thought, except maybe you, Kamui, that my intentions were to kill Seishirou-san."  
  
The Seals waited.  
  
Subaru took a deep breath. "Actually my Wish was to be killed by him." He winced, waiting for the inevitable reaction.  
  
There was a pregnant pause in which the Seals stared incredulously at Subaru. Then they all began shouting at once.  
  
"Subaru! Are you mad?!" Sorata protested. "You can't throw your life away like that!"  
  
Arashi's face showed shock. "Why would you want that, Subaru?" she asked.  
  
Yuzuriha looked hurt. "You promised me that you'd call on Inuki and me for help if you were in danger! You simply can't go off and let yourself die after that!"   
  
Kamui was the only one who remained silent, choosing merely to look at Subaru. It was obvious that he hadn't known of Subaru's Wish...but for some reason the boy wasn't as surprised as the others. Perhaps it was because he empathized with Subaru's pain. Seishirou knew that before the Dark Kamui had awoken, he had been one of the Light Kamui's closest friends.  
  
Subaru raised his hands. "Wait a second!" he called loudly over their protests. "I'm still quite alive, if you've noticed!"  
  
That shut them up.  
  
"Now, let me explain here," Subaru continued in a normal tone of voice. "Late last night I went to see Hinoto-hime. She took me into her Dreamscape, but the yumemi for the Dragons of Earth interrupted." He looked at Kamui and addressed him. "I believe that has happened to you before, Kamui."  
  
The violet-eyed boy nodded. "Kakyou." He spoke the name of the dreamseer.  
  
Subaru nodded. "Apparently Kakyou was in love with my sister, Hokuto, and he wanted to honor her last spell by giving me some...information." The onmyouji paused to collect his thoughts.  
  
Seishirou watched. The other Dragons of Heaven continued to eye him, just in case he decided to make a sudden move. The dark onmyouji kept his hands loosely at his sides and in plain sight.  
  
"Kakyou told me of my sister's last spell, and of Seishirou's Wish." He looked back at Seishirou briefly before continuing. "His Wish, it turned out, was to die by my hands."  
  
Four pairs of eyes blinked at the dark onmyouji. "Why?" Arashi asked.  
  
Seishirou took it upon himself to answer. "I Wished for Subaru to be happy, and I thought that he Wished to kill me." He shrugged.   
  
"Hokuto's last spell was one intended to keep both of us from dying," Subaru explained. "She knew that I could never kill Seishirou of my own accord, but she didn't trust Seishirou-san."  
  
"Smart girl," Sorata muttered beneath his breath.  
  
Subaru didn't seem to have heard the remark. "So, she cast a spell on Seishirou, dictating that if he ever tried to kill me in the way he had killed her, the act would rebound on him instead."  
  
Kamui blinked, and made the connection. "He intended to use you as the suicide weapon," he stated flatly.  
  
Subaru winced slightly. "Thank you, Kamui, for your delicate phrasing," he said, slightly annoyed. "Yes. Kakyou had Seen this, and fortunately told me beforehand. So, I went to Rainbow Bridge early on, and stopped him."  
  
Four pairs of eyes blinked slowly. "And?" Kamui asked.  
  
"And I told him that I love him, which I do," Subaru concluded. Widening eyes greeting this statement. "Once I made it clear that I do not want to kill him, and once I had convinced him of how much he means to me, Seishirou admitted that he doesn't want to kill me either."  
  
"You have no idea how confusing that is, either," Seishirou muttered.  
  
"Oh, you'll live." Subaru elbowed him. Seishirou blinked at him from behind his glasses, eyebrows raised. "Anyway, the bottom line is that he has agreed to stay out of the battle from now on. In his own words: if he fought any of you, he would be inadvertently hurting me."  
  
"Quite unacceptable," Seishirou stated firmly.  
  
"Okaaaay..." Sorata still looked dubious.  
  
"The problem is that Fuuma is going to be out for his blood once he hears." At this point Subaru was beginning to look nervous. "And...er...I was hoping that we could all, um..."  
  
"Keep him safe for you?" Kamui finished for him, a wry expression on his face.  
  
Subaru nodded.  
  
There was silence in the room for several very long moments.  
  
"I don't trust him." Sorata's voice was flat. "Not one bit."  
  
Seishirou sighed a little. "I don't expect you to," he told them. "All we are asking is for you to make sure Fuuma or any of the other Angels doesn't kill me off."  
  
"For my sake," Subaru added softly. "Please..." His cheeks reddened slightly. Seishirou knew that Subaru felt it presumptuous to be asking this of them. "I know this is a huge favor to ask of you...but I trust him."  
  
Arashi's eyes narrowed slightly. "But you love him. Of course you trust him."  
  
Subaru bit his lip, a twinge of panic beginning to surface in his green eyes.  
  
"I will trust him," Kamui spoke up suddenly. "For Subaru's sake. I..." he paused, violet eyes downcast. "I know what it is like to have faith in something that seems hopeless." Everyone in the room knew he was talking about his Wish to get Fuuma back. "I haven't given up. I never will give up, and I haven't been given a shred of hope." The eyes raised. "But Subaru has, and it's more than a shred. I see no reason to deny him."  
  
Subaru's eyes blazed with gratitude, and he looked hopefully at the rest of the Seals.  
  
Yuzuriha tilted her head curiously. She studied Seishirou. "Inuki?" she called quietly. The dog whined slightly and trotted cautiously over to the dark onmyouji. Seishirou blinked, and knelt down to the spirit's level. Slowly he held out a hand. He was aware of the eyes that watched both him and the dog intently. Inuki sniffed him, whined, and backed up a step. Then, very slowly, the creature's tail began to wag. His hackles settled, and he relaxed before trotting back to the girl. Yuzuriha clapped her hands together and beamed. "Inuki likes him!" she proclaimed. "So I trust him too!"  
  
Arashi sighed and nodded as well. Sorata followed suit, albeit grudgingly.  
  
Subaru's shoulders slumped with relief, and he smiled broadly. "Thank you!" Seishirou also managed a small genuine smile.  
  
Sorata looked at Seishirou. "Where will you be staying?" he asked unexpectedly.  
  
The onmyouji blinked in confusion, though Sorata couldn't see due to the shades. "I have an apartment," he began.  
  
Sorata snorted. "As if that's safe anymore. Look, we promised to keep you alive. I don't have to like it, but I keep my promises. You'll stay here with us." He leaned back and crossed his arms, pointedly giving him a look that plainly said: 'Go on. Refuse. I dare you.'  
  
Seishirou stared and opened his mouth to protest more. He was cut off by a sharp elbow digging into his lower ribs. He shot a look at Subaru.  
  
"Don't you dare argue, Seishirou-san," Subaru told him cooly. "I've gone through too much to have you die by your own stubbornness and stupidity.  
  
Seishirou flushed, but remained silent. Subaru continued to watch him. The younger man frowned. "And for Kami-sama's sake, take those sunglasses off." He reached up and pulled them off before Seishirou could stop him.  
  
The dark onmyouji's eyes widened with surprise in spite of himself. "Subaru-kun..." Seishirou felt exposed without his glasses and in front of people he barely knew.  
  
Subaru ignored him. "We do have an extra room," he noted. "Seishirou could move in there. That is, if no one else minds."   
  
They all shook their heads. "It's fine with us," Arashi said. "You'll want to bring some of your belongings with you, of course." She fixed Seishirou with a cool gaze.  
  
"I don't have many possessions," he said.  
  
Yuzuriha jumped up. "Well, before you do that, we all have to have some tea, and you can tell us more about yourself, Seishirou-san!" she chirped. "Come on everyone! It'll get cold!" She beamed and bounced genkily over to the table, and began to pour out tea.  
  
Subaru smiled, but the older man thought he could detect a hint of wicked glee in his eyes. He stared suspiciously at the Sumeragi, who merely beamed right back at him. His expression reminded Seishirou unnervingly of Hokuto. "Yes, Seishirou, it'll be good for you! Now don't make me drag you over. It's undignified."  
  
Seishirou suppressed a groan. He was pulled reluctantly by Subaru towards the table. It was still only morning, and he already had a headache.  
  
*This is going to be a very long day*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Before I forget, there's a new anime fanfiction site up, and its newest category is X/1999. There are two lonely stories in that category. Please, do sign up and put your fanfics there; it's a nice site. ^^  
  
www.anime-fiction.net  
  
kamuichan99: Hey there! Wow, you've reviewed BOTH of my fanfictions so far! ^^ That makes me feel warm and fuzzy, you know? Oh, fix-it fanfictions are beautiful. We need more of 'em. Thank you for the praise! I don't think I write very well, myself, but if you like it, who am I to complain? ^_^ Please keep reading and reviewing!  
  
Xyn: Yay! Another person who likes my writing style! Thank you! Heh, I try not to be cheesy, unless it's merited and there's ALOT of build-up to it. I do hope this fanfic continues to meet with your satisfaction! Please, keep reading and giving input!  
  
tenshiamanda: Being OOC is one of my greatest fears. Thank you for the compliment! Writing this while being as IC as humanly possible is a challenge and my goal. You won't seem me doing big "love confessions with kissing". Please, if you see me start to go off character with any of the X cast, DO let me know! I will appreciate it most immensely.  
  
Lily: I'm glad you love it, and I hope you'll like where this is heading! I'm not too sure myself, but hey: discovery is half the fun in writing. ^_^  
  
Sora-chan: You've GOT it. ^_^ I give my word that this fic will have a happy ending. There will probably be trials and tribulations in-between, but I'm already up over my head in anst with these two, and I can't STAND it any longer. The point of my fix-it fanfiction is to get those two together, and to NOT wreck it. You won't be disappointed. ^^ So please, keep reading, and PLEASE keep reviewing: I need all the help I can get!  
  
Well, there's chapter two for you! Longer than I had thought it would be, that's for certain. And, wonder of wonders, I actually have an idea of what I'm going to write for chapter three. Amazing, isn't it? ^_^ Well, please, please -please- do leave or send me some comments. I LOVE constructive criticism, no matter how harsh (just don't flame: it's quite senseless, and it only serves to hurt my feelings). And, if you have praise...I need it. ^^ Thanks for reading! 


	3. Threats from Kamui

Author's Note: Well, here's chapter three! Enjoy it while you have it,. Classes started today, and I already have a splitting headache from the single class I've had so far. And -that- class was one of the more -promising- classes. UG. I'll get up chapters when I can, but with another fanfic to wrap up beside this, AND the copious amounts of lovely homework I'll be doing...don't hold your breath, okay?  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
Feye: Kamui! You have the will of God, right?  
  
Kamui: ...maybe...*wary stare*  
  
Feye: *beams* Then you can give me the rights to X/1999!!!  
  
Kamui: Uhhhh...*nervous shifting*  
  
Feye: Awww, c'mon! I'll have Fuuma like you again and bring Seishirou back to life!  
  
Subaru and Seishirou: COOL!  
  
Fuuma: ...but I -like- being the dark Kamui! *pouts*  
  
Kamui: But...aren't I cute?  
  
Fuuma: Yes, but I'm sadistic and I like torturing you. It makes you look even more cute.  
  
Kamui: O_O;; Okay, Feye. You got a deal.  
  
CLAMP: HEM. And we can make all of you drop dead. *sweet smile*  
  
Kamui: ...never mind.  
  
Feye: *sighs* Oh well. It was worth a try. There you have it, folks. I don't own X/1999.   
  
Seishirou: And I'm still dead.  
  
Feye: Not in -this- fanfiction! ONWARD!  
  
RULES OF THE GAME: PART THREE by Feye Morgan  
  
Kakyou smiled in his Dreamscape of void and floating spheres as he watched the scene on the bridge unfold.  
  
::So you succeeded, I see::  
  
The blonde yumemi turned. Another yumemi was sitting inside one of Kakyou's spheres, her lovely face framed by long white hair. Blind eyes watched him intently.  
  
"Hinoto," he greeted. "You are still trapped?" It was more of a statement of fact than a question. Nevertheless, she nodded in reply.  
  
::Yes. The darkness in me still has control. I am imprisoned within myself, while she tries to destroy the Seals.::  
  
The yumemi for the Dragons of Heaven had visited Kakyou in his Dreamscape shortly after her bodyguard, Daisuke, had been killed by the Dark Kamui. Her "darkness", as she called her evil side, had taken advantage of her weakened state, and prevailed over their mental battle at last. The "good Hinoto" had been locked away, doomed to See and never to act.  
  
At least, that had been the Evil Hinoto's plan. When she sent her good side into exile, Kakyou had intervened and tied a psychic link link to her. She had accepted it readily.  
  
"She tries, but she does not reckon with me," Kakyou said. "Though you are still bound, your visions can reach me, and I can act upon them."  
  
Hinoto nodded, smiling slightly. She tilted her head. ::Kakyou?:: she asked, a thought striking her. ::You are a Dragon of Earth, one who wishes for the destruction of humanity.::  
  
Kakyou smiled slightly, but it was not a smile of happiness. "Partly true. I am a Dragon of Earth, but it is my indifference to life that has made me so. Kusanagi does not wish for the death of the human race. He wishes for the preservation and health of the earth."  
  
::But you cannot have one without the other::  
  
Kakyou smiled again, this time wistfully. "I would like to believe the words of that girl who possessed the talent for Dreamseeing."  
  
A vision rose up, replaying a scene from Kakyou's Dreamscapes. A blonde girl rose up to sprout beautiful white wings, and feathers filled the air with holy purity.  
  
"...And also, that the future has yet to be determined..." The girl sighed and dispersed into shards of brilliant light as the vision ended.  
  
Hinoto's blind eyes closed. ::I, too, would like to believe::  
  
"That is why you are here," Kakyou finished for her.  
  
::To alter that future we both have seen...::  
  
"...And had thought was unalterable." Kakyou remembered his special person. She, too, had once given him much the same message as the young girl had.  
  
::I wonder...:: Hinoto began, a thoughtful expression on her serene face.  
  
Kakyou's eyes widened slightly, and then narrowed with amusement. "...If perhaps that girl Saw even father than we did..."  
  
::...If she went beyond us, and we were merely a variable in her Dream...::  
  
The yumemis looked at one another.   
  
"The events at Rainbow Bridge were altered from what we had Seen."  
  
::We altered them. I gave you the vision and distracted my darkness.::  
  
"And I gave the message to the Sumeragi."  
  
They both turned their heads to gaze into a sphere as mist coalesced inside of it. They watched as Subaru and Seishirou took their seats inside a small ice cream shoppe.   
  
::The Sakurazukamori begins to understand::  
  
"The understanding will be long in the coming."  
  
But both smiled as they watched the scene inside the sphere unfold. The future unfolded into branches of possibilities, and possibilities unfolded into infinity. The yumemi's eyes brightened as one scene in particular took the forefront and played out an unexpected turn of events.  
  
::Shall we try to push this future to reality?:: Hinoto placed a slender finger to her upturned lips thoughtfully.  
  
Kakyou's golden eyes held a spark of life that they had not borne in a long time. "Yes, we shall," he answered distantly. "We shall."   
  
*You'll smile, Hokuto-chan,* he thought. *I promise.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Seishirou began to seriously ponder the possibility that Hokuto had possessed Yuzuriha's body.  
  
"I -love- animals SO much, which is probably why I have Inuki, he's a spirit dog you know. Oh of -course- you would know, you're an onmyouji! You know, until I came to Tokyo I didn't know -anyone- who could see Inuki, aside from my obaasan, and I was -so- happy when Kusanagi-- I mean, when I met the other Seals and -everyone- I stay around can see him! Subaru-san told me you used to be a veterinarian! Do you like animals too?"  
  
The tirade stopped, and Yuzuriha looked expectantly at Seishirou, eyes bright and curious.  
  
Seishirou stared, and tried to pull his expression into a semblance of composure. He thought back to the year he had spent with Hokuto, enduring her own formidable rants. The only problem was that back then, it had been permissible to look blown away. He had, after all, been pretending to have emotions. Only, now that he actually -had- them, he wasn't sure how to conceal them. Not when every word that came out of the girl's mouth reminded him of a bouncy Sumeragi twin. *I wonder if Subaru thinks the same thing...* he thought suddenly. *Does he still hate me for what I did? He never did say if he forgave me or not*  
  
He would have to ask Subaru about it later.  
  
"Seishirou? You're staring."  
  
The dark onmyouji glanced over at the object of his thoughts. Subaru was smirking amusedly. The older man blinked at him before schooling his features into a calm mask. He bit back the sudden urge to snap: 'I was -not-.' Instead he smiled. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said smoothly. He turned back to Yuzuriha. "Yes, I used to be a veterinarian," he replied. "I still have my license, in fact, though I haven't practiced for years. My mother insisted that I try attending a college of some sort, and that field seemed the most interesting."  
  
Sorata and Arashi blinked. It seemed as if they hadn't thought of or expected Seishirou to have had a mother. Certainly, he had to have...but none of them had ever thought about it.  
  
"What was your mother like?" Arashi asked cautiously. She paused. "If it's not too personal of a matter, that is," she added.  
  
Seishirou shrugged and took a sip of his tea. He set the cup back on its plate, and stared down into it while he answered. "My mother was the Sakurazukamori, a master assassin," he said, describing her completely in that one sentence. "She raised me to be just like herself, and succeeded rather well, I think."  
  
A thick silence followed for the next few moments, before being shattered by Subaru's calm voice.  
  
"She failed miserably."  
  
Seishirou looked at him. "And what makes you say that, Subaru-kun?"  
  
Subaru smiled at him. "We both know you have emotions."  
  
"Whoever said that my mother didn't?" he asked, trying to appear amused, when in fact he was almost disturbed.  
  
"Your mother would never have made the bet that you made with me."  
  
Seishirou didn't have an answer to that one. Nor was he prepared for Subaru to continue.  
  
"Nor would she have lost."  
  
It took an enormous amount of will for Seishirou to keep himself from sputtering. Instead, he stared at the younger man with a surprised and mildly offended look. He opened his mouth--  
  
"And don't you even -think- of denying that you lost, Seishirou-san." Subaru was grinning by now.  
  
Seishirou blinked, and maintained composure. "Do you intend on robbing me of every semblance of dignity I have left?"  
  
Subaru smiled cheerfully and sipped his tea. "No. I never rob."  
  
The dark onmyouji waited.  
  
"Rob is too harsh of a word, really. I mean, whatever would Hokuto-chan think? I prefer 'relieve you of the burden' much better, thank you."  
  
Seishirou stared a moment longer and then looked back down at his tea.   
  
Around the table, the other Seals were having various reactions to this odd exchange. Kamui was trying hard not to snicker, as he knew Subaru better than any of the other Seals. The young Dragon was delighted to see a bright spark of life lighting up those emerald eyes that had been so very empty before. Sorata and Arashi were watching Seishirou intently, obviously confused by and still suspicious of his behavior. Yuzuriha was beaming. She seemed to be the only one outside of the conversation who was fully enjoying it.  
  
Seishirou felt all of these reactions, and was distinctly disconcerted by them. He changed the subject neatly, keeping his voice steady and emotionless. "You know, now would be a good time for me to deal with my old apartment," he commented. "The sooner, the better--"  
  
Seishirou was cut off by a snort of laughter from Subaru. The elder man look at him, mild annoyance crossing his features. Subaru looked back at him. The corners of his mouth twitched.  
  
"Amused by something, Subaru-kun?" he asked, completely stoic once more.  
  
This only snapped the onmyouji's self control. Laughter bubbled from his throat in torrents. "You're flustered!" he gasped at last.  
  
Seishirou raised an eyebrow. "I am -never- 'flustered'."  
  
The younger man continued to laugh. "Oh yes...you are!" he gasped between laughs. "You have...emotions now...and you don't know...what to make of them!"  
  
Seishirou gave up and simply glared at the Sumeragi until he had resided to snickers. "Are you quite finished?" he asked coolly.  
  
Subaru suppressed his laughter and smiled at Seishirou. The younger man's cheeks were flushed from lack of oxygen, and his bright green eyes sparkled. Seishirou was suddenly and strongly reminded of the innocent sixteen-year old from nine years ago. He shook the picture from his mind. Subaru was no longer innocent. Seishirou had caused him too much pain.  
  
And once again, the Sakurazukamori felt a twinge of...something...at that thought. As if he wished he had not hurt Subaru at the end of the bet. *Regret,* he concluded. *I am feeling regret.*  
  
"I don't know," Subaru replied, bringing the dark onmyouji out of his thoughts. "Teasing you is fun."  
  
Seishirou sighed. "Subaru-kun...there are people here. -Other- people." He stared pointedly at the smiling Sumeragi. He ignored Kamui's stifled snicker.  
  
"So?"  
  
Seishirou truly gave up this time. He couldn't handle all of this at once. He finished the last little bit of tea in his cup and set it back in the saucer with an audible clink. "Thank you for the tea," he told the other Seals. "I really must be attending to my apartment." He rose up to his knees before Subaru placed a hand on his arm.  
  
"I'll help," Subaru offered.  
  
Seishirou shook his head. "I can get it on my own, Subaru-kun."  
  
"No, you don't, Sakurazuka-san," Sorata said. "At least one of us is going with you, and I'm sure you would rather it be Sumeragi-san than anyone else here."  
  
Seishirou stared. "I assure you that I am more than capable of protecting myself for a couple of hours."  
  
Sorata gave the onmyouji a glare.   
  
"Against Fuuma?" Kamui asked, his tone deceptively light. "I'm not even a match for him yet, and I'm "Kamui". He also has a habit of showing up unexpectedly, when you least want him to. I suggest you bring Subaru-san with you." Kamui was smiling, but his violet eyes were hard.  
  
Seishirou blinked. He looked from Kamui to Subaru, and back.  
  
"Seishirou," Subaru began. The elder man looked back at Subaru once more. His light-hearted manner was now replaced with cool logic. "I've gone through hell because of you. Now that I finally have you beginning to understand, I will -not- lose you." Subaru's green eyes were icy with determination, and Seishirou thought he could see some of the long-burdened sorrow well up within them.   
  
He nodded at the younger onmyouji. "Fine, then."  
  
Kamui tilted his head thoughtfully. "You might need reinforcements, actually. Fuuma doesn't always travel alone." Kamui was thinking of the day Subaru lost his eye; Fuuma had been accompanied by Nataku then.  
  
Subaru spent a moment in thought. "But don't you need strength in numbers to protect the kekkai Hinoto-hime predicted would fall today?"  
  
"We can call Karen-san and Aoki-san to help us," Arashi said. "They won't mind."  
  
Subaru nodded slowly. "Who will be going with us, then?" he asked, looking at his comrades.  
  
"I'll go!" Yuzuriha waved her hand exuberantly. "I'm stronger than I look, and Inuki and I can help Sakurazuka-san carry his belongings too!" She beamed.  
  
Kamui smiled. "Well, that's settled, then!" He looked at Seishirou expectantly.  
  
Seishirou suppressed a groan. He had hoped to get some time to himself. His head was spinning faster than he could ever remember. In a few short hours, he had gone from expecting to die to appease the hatred of someone he had found he actually cared for, to being hit with the confession that that someone actually -loved- him, -and- knew about Seishirou's Wish. And, on top of that, he was being practically forced to move in with his former enemies.  
  
*A very confusing day overall indeed,* he thought as he stood to his feet, accompanied by Subaru and Yuzuriha.  
  
Although, he wasn't particularly complaining about the turn of events. In fact, he found he rather liked them. At least, those concerning Subaru. He still was leery of living with people who he was certain hated him.  
  
"We should be back before you are," Subaru told the other Seals. "So do you want us to join you at the kekkai?"  
  
Kamui considered briefly. "No," he shook his head. "Yuzuriha, you can come if you like, but Subaru-san, you'd better stick with Seishirou-san."  
  
Subaru nodded. He turned to Seishirou and smiled. "Lead the way."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
The Dreaming Princess shook with fury. On the surface, she appeared calm and composed with just the right touch of sadness gracing her features.  
  
She seethed.  
  
*How -dare- they* she thought to herself. Images of the Dreamseer of Earth and of the reflection she had locked away rose into her mind. She focused on them with hatred. *How -dare- they break my plans*  
  
She fell into her Dreamscape, and watched as a vision rose in the rippling water beneath her.   
  
The thirteenth Sakurazukamori was eating ice cream with the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi Clan. The former was staring contemplatively at the latter, who, in turn, was smiling warmly.   
  
The two showed no signs of wanting to kill or be killed by the other.  
  
The dark Hinoto glared balefully at the two figures for a moment longer before banishing the vision and the Dreamscape away.  
  
*I would have thought the Dreamseer of Earth to have aided me, instead of allying with my reflection. And now Rainbow Bridge still stands, and both Dragons live.*  
  
Hinoto brooded in darkness.  
  
*Kamui and the Seals!* she thought suddenly. *They will want an explanation when they find that no kekkai will fall today...* Her brow creased marginally with thought. *I will just tell them that my Dreams were mislead by the other yumemi. The Sumeragi can vouch for this...Kakyou broke in to speak with him.*  
  
She froze.  
  
*But what else did he tell him? What else might the onmyouji suspect?*  
  
Her blind eyes darkened. The Sakurazukamori and the Sumeragi Clan Head must both be eliminated. They were an even greater threat now.   
  
"Hinoto-hime?" The voice of Sohi and Hein stole her attention. "Are you all right?" They were concerned, completely devoted to her. Thank goodness that that fact made them as blind as she herself.  
  
::Yes, I am fine. Thank you:: she reassured them.  
  
*Yes, I will be fine. I will find a way to destroy them*   
  
She smiled.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"You weren't joking when you said you didn't have many belongings, Seishirou-san," Subaru commented. "Your apartment looked bare even before we packed up what you wanted."  
  
Seishirou shrugged. "I never had much of a need for personal amenities."  
  
It was true; Seishirou's apartment was quite sterile. He owned some furniture: a tea-table, a couple cushions, the necessary kitchen utilities for cooking, a television (most likely for keeping up with the news), and a couch. The dark onmyouji bypassed all of this and had headed straight for his bedroom, where apparently he kept all of his more personal belongings.  
  
That room, at least, had held some warmth in it. One look around told the even the most casual viewer that Seishirou loved to read. Two bookshelves held veterinary journals, volumes of stories of all kinds, history texts and historical fiction and non fiction. There were even some books covering onmyouji, both dark and light. Subaru had raised his eyebrow at that. Apparently he hadn't thought that Seishirou needed books on that subject. After all, he was the "leader" of dark onmyouji.  
  
Seishirou had quickly filled a medium-sized box with his favourite books, assuring the others that he would be carrying it. One book alone may not weigh much, but a stack of them together accumulates weight very quickly. The extra space on the shelves allowed him to clear off the books that had somehow migrated onto his writing desk and his futon.  
  
In another smaller box, he had packed a little lamp, some writing paper and utensils, a calendar, an alarm clock, and a small photo album. He had avoided Subaru's curious stare. The last box housed his necessary clothing.  
  
"So, is that all, Seishirou-san?" Subaru asked. He had opted to carry the box of clothing, leaving Yuzuriha with the lightest one.  
  
Seishirou thought. *I have clothes, books, a calendar, and my photos.* His eyes shot open wide. "I forgot one thing, Subaru-kun. I'll be right back," he said. *It should still be in my desk drawer*  
  
Subaru gave him a puzzled look before the dark onmyouji disappeared into his bedroom. Seishirou walked over to his writing desk and pulled open one of the compartments. He smiled.   
  
Inside was a framed photograph of Subaru, taken when he was sixteen, still full of vibrant enthusiasm for life. For the nine years that he had kept it, he never was able to discern why he held onto it. He dismissed it as a reminder of the bet that still needed closure. Now he knew better, of course.  
  
Seishirou took the picture and turned to leave.  
  
He froze.  
  
"Going somewhere?" The Dark Kamui asked dryly.   
  
The leader of the Dragons of Earth was leaning against the door, arms crossed, a smirk on his lips, and his posture disarmingly relaxed. The dangerous glint in his eyes warned Seishirou otherwise, however.  
  
The Sakurazukamori's instincts prepared him for a possible battle. The Dark Kamui most likely knew that there were two Seals on the other side of the door, so he doubted the Angel would try anything. But...if he really wanted to kill Seishirou with one quick blow, he would succeed if Seishirou didn't keep on guard.  
  
"I don't see how that is any of your concern," he answered calmly, making sure to hide himself in a mask of indifference.  
  
The Dark Kamui smiled and took a step towards Seishirou. "Oh, but I think it is. I am the leader of the Chi no Ryu, and therefore it is very much my business if one of my Dragons decides to leave me."  
  
"Who told you I was leaving?"  
  
'Fuuma's' smile hardened. "Don't be coy, Seishirou. It hardly suits you."  
  
They stood for a moment in silence, studying each other. Seishirou's fingers itched for a cigarette.  
  
"What exactly did you come here to accomplish?" the dark onmyouji asked finally.  
  
The Angel kept up his false smile. "Oh, just to warn you, that's all."  
  
"Warn me?"  
  
"I can't say I'm too happy with one of my best Dragons leaving, but if you're determined to stay out of the battle completely, then I suppose I can't force you otherwise." He took another step forward. "However, your closeness to the Sumeragi is troubling. And it looks as if you're moving in with him, too. I can't help but think that you might be intending to aid him and the other Seals."  
  
Seishirou said nothing.  
  
The Angel took in his silence, weighing it contemplatively.   
  
"Seishirou-san?" Subaru's voice came through the door.  
  
Seishirou cursed inwardly. He had been hoping that the Dark Kamui would leave quietly before the two Seals became worried.  
  
"Fuuma" turned slightly to eye the door with an amused expression. "Well, well. It seems your little friends finally noticed how long you were taking." The Angel's voice was easily audible through the door.  
  
Seishirou waited for the explosion.  
  
"SEISHIROU-SAN!" The door flew open and Subaru burst in, white ofuda ready in his hands. He was followed by Yuzuriha and a growling Inuki. The Seals glared at the Dark Kamui.  
  
"Leave Seishirou-san alone," Subaru hissed.  
  
Seishirou smiled pleasantly. He knew the Angel was outnumbered and well aware of it. "If you don't mind," he joined in. "I have things to do."  
  
Golden eyes flashed briefly with anger. The Dark Kamui composed himself. "Leave, if you like, Seishirou. But," and he smiled cheerfully, "if you intend on betraying me, I'll kill you."  
  
Subaru growled, and raised his ofuda, but the Angel was already gone: out the window, which, Seishirou noticed now, had been open. The dark onmyouji sighed and turned to look back at Subaru and Yuzuriha.  
  
"Well...that went better than I thought," Seishirou offered.  
  
Subaru stared at him flatly. "Seishirou? Is this an attempt at humor?"  
  
Seishirou blinked at him. "Actually, I was being serious."  
  
The onmyouji gave a sigh of disgust and replaced his ofuda. "Let's go."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"You WHAT?!?" Kamui shouted.  
  
Subaru's eyes closed briefly. "Kamui, calm down. Nothing happened."  
  
Sorata eyed Seishirou. "See? I knew it was a good idea for someone to go with you."  
  
Kamui was still staring expectantly at Subaru. "Something must have happened," he said. "Fuuma doesn't just drop by for tea and friendly chats anymore."  
  
Seishirou sighed. "He pretty much told me that if I intended to stay completely out of the battle, that would be fine. But, if I was going to help any of you, he'd kill me."  
  
Kamui blinked and thought this over. "Well that's not so bad," he said after a moment. "You don't intend on helping us."  
  
Seishirou smiled grimly. "Define 'help'. I will not stand idly by if I see Subaru-kun in danger."  
  
Another silence fell as those in the room sorted out what all of this meant.  
  
"Well," Arashi spoke up. "This is what we had been provisioning for in the first place. It's not as if the situation has gotten any worse."  
  
Sorata nodded. "This apartment is strongly warded as a refuge for the Seals. That, and with the fact that we're on CLAMP campus should guarantee Sakurazuka-san's safety here."  
  
"Have you gotten your things set up?" Kamui inquired.  
  
Seishirou nodded. "Thank you," he added, aiming his words at all of the Seals. "For letting me stay here." He felt...uncomfortable...at uttering those words, but he knew that it was the polite thing to say.  
  
Various Seals nodded in acknowledgment.   
  
"We'll be visiting Hinoto-hime tomorrow, Subaru-san," Kamui said after a moment's silence.  
  
"Because there was no attack on the kekkai?" Subaru asked.  
  
Kamui nodded. "I think she may still be having trouble with Kakyou-san, but we need to find out for sure."  
  
"Will Seishirou-san be safe here alone?" Yuzuriha asked, sending a concerned glance at the onmyouji.  
  
Sorata frowned. "I don't see why not. Then again, it might be wise not to take any chances."  
  
Arashi spoke. "It would be a good idea to inform Hinoto-hime of the situation, if she doesn't already know. And Karen-san and Aoki-san should meet you in person, Sakurazuka-san."  
  
Seishirou nodded. "All right." He stifled a yawn that came out of nowhere. Subaru looked closely at him. "You look exhausted, Seishirou-san," he concluded after a couple seconds of study. Yuzuriha perked up and peered at him as well.   
  
"Sumeragi-san is right," she agreed. The girl looked earnestly at him. "You should get some rest."  
  
Seishirou looked startled at first. *Am I tired?* he asked himself. He preformed a quick metal analysis. *They're right. I -am- exhausted* he realized with some surprise. The excitement of the day so far had taken its toll on Seishirou. He nodded to the two anxious faces. He managed a smile. "I'll take a nap then." he looked at Subaru. "Don't let me sleep too late, Subaru-kun."  
  
Subaru just smiled back.  
  
His room was on the first floor, right across the hallway from Subaru's. It was small, but Seishirou had no need for much space. An American-style bed, a desk, a bookshelf, and a closet were already in place before he had moved in. Seishirou's collection of books took up a modest two shelves. He considered maybe going back to his apartment later on at some point to bring more volumes over.   
  
Seishirou had carefully placed the picture of Subaru on the desk (next to his alarm clock), facing away from the door. He wasn't sure if he wanted anyone to see it yet...although he knew it was time he had stopped hiding it in a drawer.  
  
The tired onmyouji took off his black trenchcoat and folded it neatly over the desk chair. His tie came off as well. He'd learned long ago that it was unwise to sleep with those things around one's neck.  
  
The bed was a bit too soft for his tastes, but as soon as his head touched the pillow, he no longer cared. He had just reached the boundaries of sleep when a knock sounded at the door. Seishirou frowned and bit back a groan. He forced himself to get up, hoping he didn't look as tired as he felt.  
  
He opened the door to a pair of bright violet eyes. "Kamui?"  
  
"May I speak with you for a moment, Seishirou-san?" he asked.  
  
Seishirou paused, and nodded. He beckoned the young Dragon inside. "Would you like to sit?" he offered politely.  
  
Kamui shook his head. "I'll be brief. It's about Subaru-san."  
  
Seishirou blinked and gave the boy his full attention.  
  
"I like Subaru-san very much. He's one of the few friends I have, and one I very much would hate to see get hurt."   
  
He paused, and eyed Seishirou. The dark onmyouji noticed that the brightness in those violet orbs drew from determination and suspicion. Seishirou blinked again.  
  
"Subaru-san professes to love you," Kamui continued. "I don't doubt him at all. I can see it in his eyes. But you," the eyes narrowed, "I am not so certain of."  
  
Seishirou shrugged. "I am not familiar with emotions, so I honestly couldn't tell you what I feel for Subaru-kun. I know I feel something strong, but I cannot identify it."  
  
Kamui watched him carefully, taking in every word and scrutinizing his face. Seishirou felt as if his defenses were being peeled away, slowly but inexorably, under the boy's gaze. It unnerved him.  
  
"I just want you to know," Kamui told him, slowly and deliberately, "that if you harm him, I will make sure you die a very painful death."  
  
Seishirou blinked again.  
  
"Am I clear?"  
  
A nod.  
  
"Good. Now, have a nice nap." Suddenly the boy was all smiles again. He even patted the Sakurazukamori's arm before letting himself out of the room.  
  
Seishirou remained standing motionless for several seconds after the Seal had left.  
  
*Wonderful. Now I have two Kamuis looking for my blood. All in one day, too. I really need this nap*  
  
Seishirou let himself collapse onto the bed, and willed himself to sleep as quickly as he was able.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
AN: Reviews are not only constructive, but I -really- need morale boosting right now. PLEASE, just a few seconds of your time is all. I love feedback, and school is being very painful to me. I'm sure all you other college sufferers can sympathize with me. ^^;;  
  
To my lovely reviewers:  
  
chris pwure: You bet I'm continuing this! ^_^ Thanks for the review! And yes, "Kamui" finds out and you get to see his reaction. Please do tell me what you think of that part in particular...I'm not too sure about it.  
  
kamuichan99: You never fail to make me smile! You rock! ^_^ Hmm...Kamui and Fuuma. You know, I'd -love- to do that, but I'll have to see where this takes me. My fanfictions rule me. I never know where exactly they'll go until I get there. So, we'll just have to see, won't we? But, if the opportunity arises, you BET.  
  
Margaret: You're a KamuixSubaru fan? Heh, sorry to tell you, but that pairing makes me twitch. Not as much as SeishirouxFuuma, but still. You won't be seeing any of that in here, and if you do, it'll be one-sided. But, I'm very glad you like this fanfic regardless, and I'm thrilled that you like it so much! If you have any advice or suggestions, I'd love to hear them.  
  
tenshiamanda: Oh yes, there's trouble ahead. There's always trouble ahead...and it just gets better. ^_^  
  
Insane Onna: Rock on! I like it when someone says my ideas are unique. I wasn't sure about this being original. After all, -how- many fanfictions have been done fixing Rainbow Bridge? But, I figure another is always welcome. What I'm hoping is really original is the twist I have coming later on. ^^ Heh heh...  
  
Uozumi: YES! THEY'RE IN CHARACTER?! ALL RIGHT! You have no idea how relieved I was when I read that. Rainbow Bridge is such a pivotal moment character-wise, and it's SO difficult for me to tell how those two would act if they both made it out alive. -Thank- you for that! And please, do tell me if they do get OOC at any point. Thanks for your review, and please keep reading! 


	4. Disturbing Visions

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** _Woot! I am back! . I know: a five month hiatus. Not exactly what I'd planned either...but I couldn't write or read anything except what I needed to for school this semester. Ug. _

But it's summer, and I'm back! I'm nearly finished with my Escaflowne fic-project as well (one more chapter left), so soon I'll be able to devote all my creative writing energies towards this story. 

And, to make up for my long break, this chapter is extra long (at least for me). I'd wanted to include two more introspective scenes in this chapter, but decided it was too long already. And there's room for them in chapter five (which is kind of a light fluffy one). 

Reviewer responses will be at the end of this chapter, for both Media-miner reviewers and FF.net reviewers. Enjoy! 

**Brief summary of the past three chapters...for those who need one ;**

Rainbow Bridge. You all know the scene too well. Dark, depressing, full of foreboding energy. Although, this time, two things are different: one, it is early morning instead of midday, and two, Subaru had already gained knowledge from Kakyou (while visiting Hinoto) about Seishirou's Wish and about Hokuto's last spell. 

Ergo, everything goes the way us fans wish it had. Seishirou asks Subaru if his wish is to kill him. Subaru replies 'no', but then goes on to remark about Seishirou's wish. The assassin is thickheaded and stubborn (as we all know), and so winds up trapping Subaru and preparing to "kill" him. Through pleading and telling Seishirou what he -really- feels, and that he knows of Hokuto's wish, he manages to convince Seishirou to let go. Seishirou admits he feels something strong for Subaru, but is clueless as to what it is. 

Then the two go for ice cream, Seishirou looking for the moment like a lost lamb. 

Chapter two happens and it is good. Seishirou is confused over ice cream, and Subaru delights in frustrating him with infuriating logic. He does convince Seishirou to come with him to the Seals' home on CLAMP Campus, arguing that he would be more safe there now that he's unofficially deserted the Dragons of Earth. 

Sorata, Kamui, Arashi, and Yuzuriha nearly have a fit when Subaru walks into the house with the Sakurazukamori in tow. Through careful explanations and a friendly, trustworthy inugami, the Seals finally accept Seishirou into the house (Kamui helps this decision greatly ). 

Chapter three opens with the first appearance of Kakyou and non-evil Hinoto. Good Hinoto had been overcome by evil Hinoto with the dead of Daisuke, and her spirit had been locked away. Or so was the plan until Kakyou rescued her. Her spirit now resides in his Dreamscape, and the two together had plotted for the right time to steal Subaru away in Hinoto's Dreamscape to tell him about Seishirou and Hokuto. They view possible futures in floating glass balls, and see one they particularly like. They decide to try to push that future into existence. 

We return to Seishirou and Subaru exactly where we'd left off: with Yuzuriha chatting blithely away at the startled assassin over tea, while the others watch, amused. Subaru teases Seishirou, and there is much friendly banter, until Seishirou decides he should bring his favourite personal items over from his (rather bare) apartment to his new room in the Seals' house. Subaru and Yuzuriha accompany him for protection, while the other Seals go over to the kekkai Hinoto had previously predicted would fall midday (the one all the Seals were watching when Rainbow Bridge fell in the canon manga 16). 

It's a very good thing Subaru and Yuzuriha went with Seishirou, because as the older man went back into his room for a photo of Subaru, he turned around to find Fuuma by the bedroom door exit, effectively trapping Seishirou. Fuuma smoothly threatens to kill Seishirou if he ever tries to assist the Seals, and leaves out the window when the other two break down the door. 

They return home, and Kamui nearly has a fit when he hears the news (the other Seals come back later). Due to the lack of an attack on the kekkai they were watching, Kamui decides to visit Hinoto the next day to see what went wrong. 

Feeling exhausted, Seishirou decides to take a small nap. He's almost fallen asleep when he gets a visit from Kamui in his room. Kamui cheerfully threatens to kill Seishirou if he should ever hurt Subaru again, pats him on the shoulder, and leaves. ; (Kamui's awesome, ne?) 

Seishirou falls asleep, feeling rather troubled. End chapter three. On to chapter four! 

Disclaimer: 

Feye: If I owned X or any of the rights to it, that manga would be finished. 

Kamui: And SO much fluffier, right? 

Feye: ...well... 

Subaru and Seishirou: Oh COME ON! point stiffly at the fanfic below 

Feye: Hey, I never said you two wouldn't suffer in copious amounts. 

Kamui: BUT... 

Feye: sweatdrop But you'll get a happy ending! 

Kamui: Which the manga will likely not have. 

Subaru: Hell no; Seishirou-san is dead. 

Feye: ...yeah. See? Me no own gorgeous manga. Okay? Happy? Goodie. 

**RULES OF THE GAME: Disturbing Visions**: by Feye Morgan 

- - - - - - - - - - - 

Seishirou wished the purple giraffe would stop hitting him on the head. 

_BangBangBang_

The onmyouji growled. "Stop the toaster oven you stupid paper-eater," he mumbled. 

The banging paused, only to be replaced by a series of light bubbling. 

Seishirou groaned again. 

Wait...since when were giraffes purple? 

Oh. 

Sakurazuka Seishirou opened his eyes to a bright, early morning. He'd been half-asleep. That explained the odd dream...if such dreams could be explained at all. 

Oh dear...did he say that sentence out loud...about the toaster oven? 

Seishirou sat up in bed, and rubbed the sleep out of his good eye. His senses returned to him swiftly, and on instinct he took stock of his surroundings. _Wait...oh, that's right. I'm at the Seal's._

The events of the previous day came to the forefront of his thoughts. 

_Subaru-kun...I still can't believe you actually care that much for me. I don't understand it. Not one bit._

Perhaps he would ask Subaru for more clarification later on. 

There was another noise in the room. Seishirou turned his head to stare at the door, from which the 'bubbling' (which he now recognized as laughter), had been coming from. 

"Hai?" 

"You're awake now, Seishirou-san?" came a voice. It wasn't Subaru's. 

"Yes, I'm awake. Just a minute." The assassin rose from the bed and walked to the door. He noticed with mild annoyance that he was still wearing his suit from yesterday. Apparently Subaru-kun had forgotten to wake him from his 'nap' the evening before, and he'd slept completely through the rest of the day and night. 

He was not pleased with himself. 

Seishirou opened the door to a pair of violet eyes, bright with humor this time. "Good morning, Kamui-kun," he offered. 

The boy smiled. "Good morning, Seishirou-san! I thought you might want to be woken up; it's seven-thirty." 

Seishirou nodded. That was about the time he normally liked to be up. All right; so he hadn't overslept after all...ignoring technicalities. 

"Thank you, Kamui-kun. Is Subaru-kun up yet?" 

The boy shook his head. "Subaru-san and Yuzuriha-chan are still asleep. Oh, if you want to shower, there's one down the hall." Kamui pointed in the direction. "Sorata-san is up making breakfast right now, if you want some as well." 

Seishirou nodded again. "I think I will, after I take that shower." 

"See you in a few minutes then." The violet-eyed Seal walked off in the direction of the kitchen. The boy showed no signs of the hostility that had emerged briefly last evening. He knew better, however, than to test his patience. 

As if he'd had any plans to anyways; he did care for Subaru. Enough to die for his happiness, whatever that meant. 

One brisk shower and clean black suit later, the Sakurazukamori emerged into the dining area in time to see Sorata and Arashi setting the table for breakfast. Miso soup, tea, and onigiri was the simple meal, but judging by the smell enriching the air, it was made very well. 

"Good morning," he greeted everyone. 

Kamui smiled at him, and Arashi and Sorata nodded with a 'good morning' of their own. They, too, were obviously still wary of him. Seishirou didn't blame them. 

"Please, sit down, Sakurazuka-san," Sorata set a cushion down for him at the table. Seishirou accepted the offer. "You certainly slept well last night." 

Seishirou looked at him. 

"No, Sumeragi-san didn't forget to check on you. He felt, however, that you needed your sleep, as you hadn't even noticed when he opened the door." 

Seishirou cursed inwardly. It could kill him to be so lax in his defenses. What on earth had caused him to be so tired? Sure, he hadn't been sleeping well lately, and the events on Rainbow Bridge had been startling, and the encounter with Fuuma had been no walk in Ueno--- 

All right. Maybe he did have cause to be tired after all. 

"I've had a bad last couple of days," was his only remark. He changed the subject swiftly. "When does Subaru-kun normally get up?" 

The three Seals exchanged glances. "So many questions about Subaru-san!" Kamui remarked, eyes glowing with something terribly unholy. Seishirou blinked at him. Sorata was trying not to snicker. Arashi maintained a composure the assassin found himself envying. 

_I'm lucky Nekoi-chan isn't at the table..._ The Hokuto-possessed Seal would have leapt on that sentence like a rabid fangirl. 

"I'm just curious," he said, managing to look unruffled. 

"Mmhmm. He usually gets up at about eight-thirty or nine. He's not much of an early morning person. He sometimes has a job to do as well." 

Seishirou immediately checked his watch. It was eight o'clock. He looked in the direction of the hall. Suppressing a sigh, he took an onigiri and sipped on his tea. "Eight-thirty you said?" 

"Or nine." 

"Mm..." 

They ate in silence for a few minutes. Eventually, Kamui spoke up. 

"We're going to visit Hinoto-hime today, aren't we, Sorata-san?" 

Sorata nodded. "That was the plan." 

Kamui sighed, lost in thought. "I hope she's all right. First she finds her Vision blocked, and now her latest prophecy proved incorrect." 

Seishirou frowned. This was not good news for the Dragons of Heaven. 

"Seishirou-san?" 

"Hmm?" The assassin looked up in answer to Kamui's query. 

"Do you know if your--I mean, the Angels's Dreamseer has been interfering with Hinoto's visions?" 

Seishirou frowned in thought. Already he was becoming involved, or at least, the Kamui was trying to involve him. Although it wasn't as if he hadn't left the Angels. And it did seem like an innocent enough question. Not that he could provide a good answer anyways. 

"No, I don't know," he said honestly. "I'm not around the government basement much at all. I don't really like the company of the other Angels, so I tend to remain 'out of the loop', so to speak." 

Kamui studied him for a moment, as if searching for a lie in his eyes. Seishirou abruptly wished he'd remembered to get his sunglasses back from Subaru the evening before. Then the violet-eyed Seal sighed and turned back to his breakfast. "Oh well. It was worth a try asking." 

Seishirou breathed a mental sigh of relief. Ticking off the Seal's Kamui was not a good idea, and he had a nagging sensation that the boy's question had been a test of some sort. 

A few more minutes of silence passes before Sorata piped up. "Sakurazuka-san, we were wondering if you'd object to accompanying us on our visit to Hinoto-hime." 

Seishirou blinked, startled, though he didn't show it. Much. "Accompany you?" he asked with a questioning quirk of his lips. "Whatever for?" 

Sorata shrugged. "Oh, well...we thought it would be a good idea if all of the Seals went. After all, the problem concerns all of us greatly, and you'd be safer if you came along instead of staying here alone." 

The monk's words were spoken slowly and deliberately, with thought placed into each syllable. It became apparent that this was, again, another test. If Seishirou went along, then perhaps they were hoping their Dreaming Princess would be able to divine whether his intentions were honest or not. 

Plus, this way you'd be able to meet everyone!" he finished, switching back into his more natural, careless, cheerful tone. 

_Well...it doesn't look as if I have much of a choice then. Besides, if Subaru-kun is going..._

Of course Seishirou would go anywhere his Subaru went. 

"All right," he replied evenly. "I don't object." 

Sorata smiled at him. "Good." 

Another stretch of silence came over the table, long enough for Seishirou to finish his onigiri. He checked his watch again: eight-thirty. He looked up at the hall. 

No Subaru. 

Seishirou glanced at Kamui. "Eight-thirty or nine you said?" 

Kamui choked on his tea. Arashi hid a smirk. Sorata burst out laughing. 

Seishirou raised an eyebrow. "What?" 

Kamui pressed his hand against his throat in an effort to force the tea down the right passage. He finally swallowed the liquid and grinned at Seishirou. Despite the coughing fit, it was obvious Kamui was -very- amused. "I agree with Subaru-san; you're being terribly cute." 

Seishirou stared. "I am _NOT_," came the undignified response. 

"Are too." 

Seishirou opened his mouth...and then snapped it back shut. _I refuse to be involved in a childish argument. I am mature and will act in a properly dignified manner_

At that moment Subaru walked into the room. "Good morning everyone! Morning Seishirou-san!" the onmyouji smiled. 

"Subaru-kun!" Seishirou lit up. His face reminded many in the room of a small child who'd just been given a large bag of their favourite sweets. "Good morning!" 

Mature indeed. 

Subaru stared at him for a brief moment before resuming his smile and walking over to the breakfast table. Seishirou found himself admiring the Sumeragi; he'd dressed simply, black pants with a vivid green turtleneck that matched his eyes perfectly. 

Subaru bent and kissed the top of Seishirou's head before taking a seat on the cushion next to him. "Seishirou-san? You were staring." 

Seishirou immediately averted his eyes back to the cup of tea in his hands. Kamui snickered, earning a brief glare from the ruffled dark onmyouji. 

Subaru was looking back and forth at the other Seals. He raised an eyebrow. "Did I...miss something...?" 

Violet eyes gleamed wickedly. "Oh not _really_..." 

Sorata took the cue. "Sakurazuka-san was just asking for you..." 

"As soon as he woke up..." 

"When he sat down for breakfast..." 

"And three point five minutes ago..." 

Seishirou stared determinedly into his teacup. 

"Aw, I'm sorry Seishirou-san. I'll make sure to wake up earlier next time." The teasing note in the younger man's voice was not missed by the man in question. He continued to stare at his tea. 

"So Kamui-kun," Subaru struck up a conversation, "are we going to visit Hinoto's today?" 

Seishirou sighed inwardly with relief as the topic of the conversation turned away from him at last. He could almost swear that they were taking immense enjoyment out of deliberately teasing him. Seishirou did not understand it one bit. Surely he wasn't as fun to tease as Subaru had been nine years ago. After all, -he- was not innocent and adorable. 

With a mental sigh, he tuned his ears back to the voices around the table. 

"Are Seiichirou-san and Karen-san coming with us?" Kamui asked. 

"Aa. I called them this morning before I made breakfast," Sorata answered. "Aoki-san is taking a break out of work to come. Karen-san has the day off." 

"That worked out nicely," Arashi commented quietly. 

Sorata's eyes opened in mock astonishment. He turned to the girl and stared at her, an idiotic grin spreading across his face. "She speaks! For the first time today, the beautiful lily of the pond of my soul had opened her perfect mouth and uttered--OOF!" 

He choked off with an undignified gasp as Arashi's elbow dug a path into Sorata's stomach. Her expression never changed. 

Sorata rubbed his wounded abdomen with a tragic expression. "Oh Arashi sweet...your cold demeanor stabs me to the bone! How shall I ever--" 

"I can hit harder and lower," she commented as she reached for a bowl of miso soup. 

Sorata clammed up mid-sentence. 

Seishirou blinked. _That was...interesting..._ Replaying the scene in his mind, he decided that he was confident he could find some way to tease Sorata over this, should the need to retaliate ever arise. He allowed a slight smirk to appear on his lips. 

Sorata gave him a look. "I would hardly think that you're immune, Sakurazuka-san," he warned. 

Seishirou put away his smirk and looked over at Subaru. The younger man was smiling slightly. 

"Subaru-kun? When might I get my sunglasses back?" he asked in an attempt to change the conversation. 

"You're not getting them back." 

Seishirou blinked and frowned. 

"And if you buy new ones, I'll just confiscate them." 

"But--" 

"No 'buts'. Give me one good reason you wear them, _aside_ from hiding yourself from other people." 

"They slow the deterioration of my one good eye." 

Subaru paused. 

Seishirou smirked. 

Subaru eyed him steadily. Seishirou met his gaze. And when the younger man's eyes narrowed and his lips turned up in a smile, he knew he was in for it. 

"They can do simply _amazing_ things with laser surgery nowadays," Subaru retaliated. The look became even more mischievous. "And _besides_, those glasses hide your pretty face!" 

Seishirou stared. Kamui choked for the second time on his tea. 

Subaru beamed at the shocked assassin and reached up to pat his cheek as he would a child. 

Seishirou thought he was doing a very good job at controlling himself, given the circumstances. "Subaru-kun? Is this still your revenge?" 

The man in question stretched like a contented cat. "Mmmhmm." 

Seishirou closed his eyes and sighed. "Wonderful. So, when are we going to see the Dreaming Princess?" 

"Avoidance will get you nowhere, Seishirou-san," Subaru smirked. "But..." and then he blinked and looked over at Sorata. "When -are- we going to see Hinoto-hime?" 

"As soon as Aoki-san and Karen-san show up. They should be here anytime now." Sorata checked his watch. 

Seishirou drank the last little bit of his tea, and looked over at Subaru's plate, wondering what the onmyouji had chosen for breakfast. He frowned. 

"Subaru-kun?" 

"Yes?" Subaru looked up at him. 

"You're only having tea for breakfast?" 

Subaru blinked. "I'm not hungry." 

Seishirou's eyes narrowed dangerously. Very deliberately, he placed his hands on either side of Subaru's waist and felt upward. 

"Subaru-kun, I can feel your ribs quite prominently. That is not a good sign." He let go of the younger man and placed onigiri and a bowl of miso soup in front of him. 

"But--" 

Seishirou's firm glare silenced Subaru. He pointed at the food. "Eat. Now." 

Somewhat chastised, Subaru lowered his eyes and picked up the rice ball. He nibbled. 

"I want to see more than nibbling. You eat that up." 

Subaru glared at Seishirou, who, in return, glared right back. 

Kamui cleared his throat and spoke up hesitantly, hoping to prevent the Final Battle from happening right then in their living room. "Subaru-san...I think I agree with Seishirou-san. You -are- too thin." 

"As if you aren't?" Subaru retorted. Kamui turned pink. 

Sorata had been nervously glancing between the verbal combatants, rice clamped, forgotten, between motionless chopsticks halfway to his mouth. Suddenly he seemed to make up his mind as he squared his shoulders authoritatively. "All right!" he announced. "We're not leaving for Hinoto-hime's until Kamui and Subaru-san have eaten a good healthy breakfast!" 

"I agree," Seishirou stated. He fixed Subaru with a cool gaze. "Eat." 

Subaru and Kamui exchanged glances. With resigned sighs, they helped themselves to onigiri and soup. Seishirou and Sorata watched, looking each quite satisfied with himself. 

The doorbell rang just as Subaru and Kamui had finished eating to both Seishirou's and Sorata's satisfaction. Yuzuriha happened to bounce downstairs at the exact same moment. "I'll get it!" she chirruped happily. The girl skipped over to the door, Inuki following her faithfully. 

"Oh! Good morning Aoki-san, Karen-san!" 

"Good morning, Yuzuriha," Aoki Seiichirou, a tallish man who happened to look remarkably like Seishirou had during the year of his bet with Subaru, responded as Yuzuriha stepped aside to let the Seals inside. Everyone except for Seishirou cheerfully echoed Nekoi's greeting. 

"Would you like some onigiri and soup?" Sorata asked them. "Yuzuriha, you need to eat breakfast as well." 

The girl blinked and looked at the table. Her eyes widened. "Oh I'm sorry! We're supposed to go to Hinoto-hime's today, aren't we? I'm sorry for holding everyone up!" 

Karen and Seiichirou smiled and hung their coats on the wall. "It's all right, Nekoi-chan," the editor said. "I for one will take that offer of breakfast. I haven't had any yet." 

"Me too," Karen agreed. 

Seishirou sent a pointed glance at Subaru. The younger man gave him an exasperated look. "-What-? I ate!" 

"I'm making sure you eat three square meals every day for a while, Subaru-kun." 

Seiichirou and Karen blinked, confused by the sound of a new voice. As they walked closer to the table to sit down, they received a better view of the stranger's face. 

"Ah, you must be Seishirou-san," Karen realized. She smiled at him. "Sorata-kun and Kamui-kun told us about you." 

Seishirou inclined his head in a polite greeting. "Nice to meet you." 

The conversation from that point on was rather uneventful, a fact for which Seishirou was very grateful. He was through with being teased...and the day had barely even started yet. At least a break would be nice. 

Karen, Seiichirou, and Yuzuriha did not take very long to eat, all being rather eager to get to the Diet Building and perhaps find an answer to the mystery of the incorrect prophecies. 

"Are you coming as well, Seishirou-san?" Karen asked. 

Seishirou nodded. "Sorata-kun believes it would be a good idea. And Subaru is going." 

Karen and Seiichirou exchanged glances. 

"You seem fond of Subaru-san," Karen commented, a little too innocently. 

Seishirou swept Sorata, Kamui, and Subaru with a warning gaze. 

"Quite," Seishirou nodded. "I've grown rather attached to him." 

Subaru bit his lip and his cheeks tinged pink. This elicited a smirk from the elder man. "Cute, Subaru-kun." 

Karen placed a delicate hand over her mouth, her eyes squeezing shut in an attempt to keep her chuckles quiet. 

Subaru raised an eyebrow. "-I'm- cute? And what was this I heard about you asking when I usually get up, every..." 

"Ten minutes," Kamui offered. 

Sorata looked up at the ceiling contemplatively. "Oh, I thought it was every seven or so." 

Subaru looked smugly at Seishirou. Karen giggled louder. 

"That's not fair, Subaru-kun," Seishirou protested. "You aren't supposed to needle me -back- when I tease you." 

Now Subaru was laughing. "Whatever will I do with you?" 

Kamui sipped his tea. "He's _your_ Sakurazukamori, Subaru." 

Seishirou had had enough. These people were having a wee bit -too- much fun. "Well, seeing as everyone is done, shouldn't we be heading off soon?" 

Aoki took the opportunity to agree. He checked his watch. "I have to be heading back to work in a little over an hour," he said. 

"All right," Sorata rose from his seat. 

"Sorata-san and I will clear this up," Arashi commented quietly. Yuzuriha volunteered enthusiastically to help, and did. 

_I wonder if Hinoto-hime was the Dreamseer to tell Subaru about my Wish and about Hokuto._ Subaru had enlightened him over the source of his knowledge the day before. _It must have been; she is the Seals' yumemi. I wonder how she knew._ Seishirou decided he would have to thank her once he saw her. 

- - - - - - - - - - - 

A smile graced Princess Hinoto's lips. Her eyes were half-lidded and she was lost in her own thoughts. 

_::Soon...soon they come. And the Sakurazukamori with them::_

She would strike first at him, of course. If she broke the assassin, Sumeragi would shatter as well. Two Dragons with one blast. How efficient. 

And the other Seals wouldn't blame her for the dark onmyouji's death. Surely they wouldn't have accepted him yet, and they would see that she was only defending herself. Lashing out would only be an instantaneous reaction of self-preservation. 

And she would be terribly sorry afterwards, so very, very sorry for her tragic mistake. She would offer consoling words to the Sumeragi, and smile inwardly as he crumbled. 

Sakurazuka was strong, however, so if her initial plan failed, and he wasn't killed straight off...she could always move to the second stage... Subtlety was an art she had mastered. 

Perfect. 

Soon. 

- - - - - - - - - - - 

It was like going down into the Government Building Basement, Seishirou reflected, as he stood in the elevator that carried him and the Seven Seals down. Only, the Seals' Diet Building was much more elegantly decorated. It didn't -look- like a basement at all. Most of the Angels never bothered with the elevator in the Government Building, especially Fuuma. The Dark Kamui was blunt like that; he just walked through the walls. Yuuto was the only Angel aside from himself who bothered with the mechanical contraption. 

He followed behind Subaru as they filed out of the elevator. He began to feel a presence of power up ahead, which he assumed to be Hinoto. 

She was a remarkable being, ancient and wise beyond reckon. Her Dreamseeing capabilities were unparalleled by all save the Angels' yumemi, Kuzuki Kakyou. She was highly regarded and respected as trusted, benevolent advisor throughout Japan's inner circles. 

So why was it that Seishirou felt his instincts prickling in warning as he walked closer? 

Perhaps it was because he was an Angel, and she was the yumemi for the Seals? 

He frowned slightly and turned to Subaru. "Subaru-kun? Does Hinoto-hime know about me?" 

Subaru gave him an odd look as he pressed a hand to the screen and began to slide it open. "I don't know. I would assume so..." 

Before Seishirou could continue his questioning, and before Subaru had the chance to elaborate, both were pushed into the room by the six people behind them. 

Seishirou looked ahead towards the dias in the center and far back of the room. 

_DANGER! DANGER!_

His instincts flashed brutally with the warning of something terribly, terribly wrong, and then it was too late. 

Instantly, his entire vision was swallowed by crimson orbs. A ringing filled his ears, and his mouth parted slightly in surprise. He stared straight ahead, wondering vaguely where the room had gone, and why all he could see was red... 

From somewhere far away, he could hear someone speaking. But even that fell away as the crimson flashed brilliantly. Talons struck his mind, inflicting wave after wave of agonizing psychic energy. His mind was peeling away, his eyes were liquifying within his skull, and somewhere in another plane of existence he heard himself screaming... 

- - - - - - - - - - - - 

Subaru was panicking. 

He'd walked into the room, smiled in greeting at Hinoto, and then noticed that her attention was fixed elsewhere. He'd also noticed that Seishirou wasn't moving. The assassin had stiffened, his eyes had widened, his head had tilted back, and he'd _screamed_. A terrible, wrenching scream full of agony. Subaru's heart wrenched in terror. 

"SEISHIROU-SAN!" 

Subaru dashed forward just in time to catch the older man as he collapsed. He laid him on the ground, fingers trembling, only barely registering the explanations and excitement of the Seals around him, and the sincere apologies of Princess Hinoto. His fingers felt for Seishirou's pulse, and found one. 

_Oh god, Seishirou-san please don't die please stay with me oh god..._

Subaru was frantic enough to seriously consider going Within Seishirou, when the older man groaned and opened his eyes a fraction. Subaru held his breath. 

"Subaru...kun...?" 

Subaru nearly collapsed into tears with relief. His fingers stroked the man's cheek shakily. "Yes, it's me," he smiled, dimly aware of Kamui and Sorata kneeling down beside him and checking Seishirou for any other wounds. "What hurts, Seishirou-san? What happened?" 

Seishirou closed his eyes again briefly. Subaru's emerald ones never left his face. "My head..." the dark onmyouji replied at last. "It felt like...my brain was melting inside my skull..." 

Subaru looked briefly up at Hinoto, his expression guarded. The Dreaming Princess looked horrified with herself. As soon as he met her gaze, she bowed towards him. 

"Please forgive me, Sumeragi-san. I acted upon instinct. Sakurazuka-san should be fine; I halted my attack as soon as I realized. I'm so terribly sorry!" 

Subaru nodded briefly at her and looked back down at his other half. 

Seishirou had placed two fingers to his temples and was rubbing in slow, deliberate circles. Sorata checked his forehead for any signs of a fever, and nodded at Subaru. "He feels fine, Sumeragi-san." 

Subaru looked at Seishirou. The assassin managed a wan smile. "I think I'll be all right, Subaru-kun. I just have a splitting headache now, but it will go away." 

Subaru was not convinced, and he allowed his face to show it. 

Seishirou chuckled, a sound which made the younger onmyouji feel suddenly much better. "I'll be fine, Subaru-kun." He paused, eye brightening suddenly. "You look so cute when you're worried." 

Subaru went limp from relief. He could have kissed Seishirou right then, but he had a feeling the other man might not appreciate the gesture just yet. Instead he settled for pulling him into a warm hug. 

Seishirou stiffened out of reflex at first, but then relaxed. Subaru took this as a good sign. Even better when he felt Seishirou's arms wrap gently around his shoulders in return. He wished he could see his expression. 

"Do you think you could stand, Seishirou-san?" he asked, pulling away slightly. 

"I think so. Help me up?" 

"Of course, silly." 

Subaru eased Seishirou to his feet, with assistance from Sorata, and a very anxious-looking Yuzuriha. 

"I'm all right now," Seishirou assure the worried faces around him. "Really." 

He wavered dangerously on his feet. 

Sorata and Subaru simultaneously grabbed him by either arm. "I don't think so," Sorata frowned. 

"He looks too pale," Aoki remarked, crossing his arms. Arashi nodded her agreement. 

"Really, just give me a couple of minutes and I'll be perfectly fine..." Seishirou protested. 

Kamui gave the man a look. "Subaru-san? Did his brain get short-circuited or has he always been this way?" 

"He develops feelings for me, ruins my life in the process, and suddenly decides that he can make amends by committing suicide, never mind that I might actually love him back. I'd say he's always been bull-headed." 

Seishirou shot Subaru a hurt look. "It seemed like a good idea at the time..." 

"Idiot." 

"As if you were any more communicative. You simply -radiated- love when you threw your ofuda at me." 

"Oh shut up." 

"Seishirou-san," Arashi interjected calmly, "I believe it would be best if you went back to the house and rested." 

Yuzuriha chirruped in agreement: "Yes! You look so very pale, Sakurazuka-san! That was a nasty shock, and a good rest would do you wonders! You really shouldn't overtax yourself, and green tea and pocky seems to do wonders! I have some if you'd like! Pocky, I mean, not the tea, but--" 

"Thank you, Nekoi-chan," Seishirou interrupted smoothly. "But all I really need is an aspirin for this headache." 

The Seals exchanged glances. 

"Umm..." 

"I believe we're out of aspirin..." Kamui said slowly. 

Subaru stared. "We're out of -aspirin-? How can we be out of -aspirin-?" He looked worriedly at Seishirou, afraid that the man might collapse again if he didn't receive the pills immediately. 

Kamui gave Subaru a look. "I go through our medical supplies often enough; I should know. We've got tons of painkillers, bandages, burn ointment, and did I mention painkillers? But no aspirin." 

Subaru stared at him. 

"Fuuma tends to go for more than migraines when he corners me." This was obviously meant as a retort, but the younger boy's voice went soft, and his violet eyes darkened as he spoke. His frame hunched slightly in on itself. Subaru's heart went instantly out to him. 

"I'm sorry, Kamui..." he apologized gently. 

Kamui shrugged, managing a smile. He changed the subject. "There's a mall nearby with a drugstore. I'm sure you can find aspirin there." 

Subaru nodded. "Are you -sure- you can walk, Seishirou-san?" 

Seishirou looked mildly offended. "Of course I'm sure." 

"Mmmhmm. I can't carry you if you collapse, you know." 

"You won't have to. Stop fretting, Subaru-kun." 

"If you scare me like that again, I'll break your legs." 

"It wasn't my fault!" 

This elicited another string of profuse apologies and self-depreciating exclamations from Princess Hinoto. The Seals all hurried to assure her that she was not held to blame, and that none of them were angry with her. After this was done, Kamui turned to Subaru again. 

"Go on, take Seishirou out. We can handle everything here, and we'll talk to you later, okay?" 

Subaru nodded, and took the assassin carefully by the arm to lead him out. Seishirou nodded politely to everyone, and then winced as the motion brought him pain. 

Subaru narrowed his eyes. "Aspirin. Now." He drug the unfortunate man out. 

- - - - - - - - - - - 

"Subaru-kun...I thought we were here just to get aspirin." 

"We were. But you're sick and I need to get you something." 

"You don't -need- to get me -anything-." 

"Fine. I _want_ to get you something. Happy now?" 

"..." 

"Oh LOOK!" Subaru exclaimed suddenly. He jabbed his finger down an aisle. Seishirou squinted down the younger man's finger to find... 

"Stuffed animals!! Aren't they cute?!" 

Seishirou stared as Subaru began gently but authoritatively leading him towards the toys. Seishirou resigned himself to his fate with a sigh. It wasn't all that bad, he supposed. His headache was fading slowly, and Subaru was being terribly cute at the moment. 

Yes, it was worth it. 

Seishirou placed his hands in his trenchcoat pockets and tilted his head slightly, watching Subaru rummage through the stack of toys. He smiled faintly and considered buying Subaru a stuffed animal. 

He was rather surprised when the smaller man whipped suddenly around and thrust something fuzzy into his chest. Seishirou grabbed it out of instinct and blinked down. 

It was a squirrel. A very adorable, fluffy squirrel who appeared to be holding... 

...a potted baby sakura tree?! 

He looked up to see Subaru beaming brightly at him. "Isn't it cute? It's perfect for you!" 

Seishirou choked. "What?" 

"The squirrel. I'm getting it for you. It's so adorable." He beamed. "It's one of those..."--he checked the tag on the animal within Seishirou's hands--"'Save the Earth' animals. Okay. Now we can go home." Subaru lead Seishirou off again. 

The older man blinked as they walked toward the checkout. _'Save the Earth'? Subaru-kun... And a sakura tree. I'll bet you picked it for the tree, and completely missed the Angel reference. You're too cute._

He couldn't not accept the gift now. 

The cashier looked at them very oddly when Subaru dragged him up and pulled the squirrel out of Seishirou's hands and onto the counter next to the aspirin bottle. Seishirou could imagine why; a dignified-looking man in his thirties wearing a business suit and smart trenchcoat...holding a fluffy stuffed squirrel. It completely ruined any semblance of elegance he possessed. 

And then there was Subaru, attractive young man in his twenties, Head of a powerful, ancient Clan...clasping his hands together and grinning like a child with sweets. 

The cashier lady rang up the charge and Subaru paid the small amount, ignoring the offers Seishirou was making to pay for it himself. 

"It's a _gift_ Seishirou-san. You're not _supposed_ to pay for it," he'd explained. He thrust the squirrel back into Seishirou's hands as soon as he'd gotten the receipt. 

Seishirou stared at it as they walked out to call a cab back to the Seals' home. Come to think of it, it did seem to fit...and Subaru had given it to him... 

_I must be losing my mind,_ the confused assassin thought. _The Sakurazukamori wouldn't be caught dead carrying this thing._

And yet he was. Seishirou marveled at Subaru. This young man had elicited so many changes within him, without even much effort at all. What was it about him? There wasn't anything particularly remarkable about him, other than his immense power as a Seal as compared to the previous Sumeragi Leaders. 

So what made him so different? Why was he so...special... to Seishirou? Why? 

Seishirou studied the squirrel in silence the entire ride home, searching for an answer. 

- - - - - - - - - - - Special thanks to **Mirendalin** who gave me many wonderful, delicious ideas for this fic. Beware, she is evil. Oh so very evil. 

**For my wonderful, patient reviewers**: 

from FF.N:

**RyuuRaigeki:** Oh good! I worry about Seishirou being in character. He's a hard one to write, especially in this situation. Glad I'm doing all right so far! Please keep reading! 

**Kreshnya**: Look! I updated! Don't hurt me! Eheh...I have no plans of dropping this fic. Feye loves it too dearly. huggles plottline Oh and do I ever have plans for this one... 

**WildHeartz** Heh heh...I am actually going to try to "fix" Fuuma and Kamui. So, erm...this is going to be a LONG fanfic. I have no idea if I can fix those two. They've got -slightly- more issues (coughs). But I will try! Thanks for your feedback! I really appreciate knowing I'm doing well! 

**SavvySiberian** Yeah...the manga got me down as well. Darn it. -- Don't worry, while this will have angst and lots of it, it WILL have a happy ending. At least for Subaru and Seishirou. I'll try my darndest for Fuuma and Kamui as well. 

**Yume-damo-shirinai** Heeere's the update! I agree with you (or at least what I think you're trying to say); I never liked the "fancy" portrayal of Seishirou's apartment. While he is elegant, he could out-Spartan the Spartans. That man is pure survival instinct, and I think he'd like to live light and simple. Ah, but he -does- have emotions now. Just enough to know they're there...but he still has no clue what they mean or how to deal with them. Poor man. 

** Subaru's Voice** Eheh...sorry about the wait there. I hope you'll still read! I'll update much more often now that summer's here. 

**Rei Asakura**: O.O Wow. Yes, that was a backhanded compliment, but I am very flattered. Thank you! And I updated! Can I not die now! 

**chris pwure**: Whee! Glad I got Fuuma correctly! He'll be making more appearances, and I'm kind of nervous about writing him. He's even more difficult to get right than Seishirou, especially with the "new" (relatively) manga developments. Although I can use what CLAMP has let us get a glimpse of as an advantage to fixing him and Kamui. I love writing this Subaru. He's so adorable. 

**Wai - Aki**: College is a royal pain. As much as I love it, it SHOULDN'T keep me from my writing! cries Oh well. That's what summer's here for. Thank you for your compliments! 

**Fahm** Sei-chan's difficult because by this tim we all know he loves Subaru. The problem is that -he- doesn't quite know it yet. CLAMP doesn't give us hardly ANY insight into his character before X16. Heck, if a fan had written X16 instead of CLAMP, I would have said it was completely OOC. Go figure. Now I have the job of cleaning him up slowly but surely. sighs I agree with you about the anime Kakyou: he was horrible compared to the manga. He'll be showing up a lot in this fic, don't worry. And yes, very encouraging! Thank you! 

**Uozumi**: Hey there! Yuzuriha an older version of Sakura? Hmm...from what I've heard about Sakura, you're probably right! I like to think Yuzuriha's an innocent version of Hokuto as well. I hope you like this chapter as much! 

**kamuichan99**: Hey there! Did your own story fall into the same trap as mine? I've been missing your updates. What are the dreamseers planning? Oh, you'll see my dear. You'll see. And well...Subaru-kun and Sei-chan are going to go through hard times. I can tell you that straight off. You'll be biting your fingernails before the end. However, I can promise you a happy ending with the two of them! 

from Media-miner:

** Ifurita:**Thanks! . I'm so glad you like it! I would love it if you kept reviewing as well: it really helps me know how I'm doing with the characters and all. 

**Sapadu:** Really? This is the first time you've seen a fix-it for Rainbow Bridge? Ohhh...you're missing out! You should read Kouri and Karasu's fanfics. They've got a whole BUNCH of AWESOME Su/Sei fanfics: They're SO well written, it's incredible. Most are in the X/1999 section, and one is in the crossovers section. And I'm flattered you like mine! . glows with happiness 

**delusionallady** Yes, he lives! Isn't it wonderful? giggles 


	5. Stirrings of Trouble

_**Author's Note:** Aaaand here's chapter five. This would have been up a lot sooner... but there were technical difficulties. ;; Sorry about that. The fluff decreases much in this chapter and in the next, because now we're starting on something with a semblance to a gasp plot!_

RULES OF THE GAME: Stirrings of Trouble by Feye Morgan

Kakyou was completely baffled. Stunned. Stupefied. He wondered how on _earth_ he'd failed to be flabbergasted by this before.

He sat on one of his floating spheres in the void, suspended artfully above a rippling pool of water. His legs swung back and forth, occasionally hitting the shimmering surface and causing a spray of delicate droplets to fly into the air, where they floated, very gradually congealing together to form another floating sphere.

His slender fingers tugged fitfully at his kimono, and his normally dreamy, sad eyes were strangely sharp with confusion and thought.

_I changed destiny_

Well, all right. Perhaps that wasn't quite fair. He and Hinoto had changed destiny -together-.

But that didn't change the facts; one of his visions had not come to pass. The reason it had not come to pass was because he and another dreamseer had done the impossible and intervened.

It didn't make sense. It was impossible. Inconceivable. Illogical.

It had happened.

Kakyou kicked the water, sending the gently swirling droplets into utter chaos. _Serves them right,_ he thought as he stared at the helplessly spinning pearls. _How dare they make sense whilst I'm so confused_

All right, so it was a childish thought. Kakyou reserved the right to be childish once and a while. After all, he was the one in a coma who lived his days and nights to watch terrible visions of the future that he couldn't even prevent--

And there it was again. That was the problem. He could prevent them. And perhaps, just perhaps, his life now held meaning for once!

_No no no NO! There's something WRONG with that! Yumemi -can't- change destiny! It's -impossible-! The future is already determined!_

_Ah, but is it?_ his insidious mind asked him again. Kakyou immediately thought of the girl, Monou Kotori, and her last words as she rose into the sky, wings and pure feathers filling the air with impossible grace.

::The future has not yet been decided,:: another voice echoed the girl's words along with his thoughts.

Kakyou turned towards the source of the sound. "Hinoto," he greeted.

::Kakyou:: she smiled at him. ::You are puzzled by the recent events, aren't you?::

The younger dreamseer nodded. "Yes. I don't understand how we were able to do what we did. I'd given up hope of changing the future long ago, and it is so hard to accept now..."

::You had not given up hope:: the blind yumemi countered. ::Otherwise you would not have attempted to prevent your Dream::

Kakyou pondered this. Evidently he'd not thought of that.

::I know it is hard for you to accept. It is hard for me, as well. In the centuries I have been alive, I've never seen this happen before. Ever.::

"You're certainly taking it well," Kakyou remarked.

Hinoto smiled gracefully. ::I've always hoped. Sometimes more than others, but I have always hoped.::

"And what about this Dream?" Kakyou asked. His golden eyes flickered over to a sphere nearby, which played a strange and tragic scene on the high beams of Tokyo Tower.

Hinoto's smile faded, and she gazed with longing. ::My wicked side is trying to avert that Dream. If it is true that Dreams can be changed...she might have a chance. So very long I have been alive...:: she added quietly. ::And it could all go wrong...::

Kakyou let the vision in the sphere fade. He looked at her with empathy. He knew, he understood. He too was tired.

"In a way I am glad we have discovered this," he began quietly, "and yet, in another way, I am terribly sad."

Hinoto looked at him, waiting.

"Doesn't this mean that all of our other terrible visions that came to pass...had a chance of being avoided?"

Memories flashed painfully behind his eyes. A girl, dressed in pure white ceremonial robes, walking towards a tree. Sakura rained down thickly, and a cruel smile pierced the petals as a hand pierced the girl's heart. White stained with red, a voice cried out in pain, and everything shattered in a nightmare of sweet, heady aromas.

_Hokuto-chan..._

That Dream, the worst dream of them all, and he'd known he couldn't prevent it. And yet, at the last moment, he'd tried and failed. The broken yumemi had believed from that point on that none of his visions could ever be changed. He'd lived his life in empty despair.

Had he been living a lie?

"What if I'd been able to save her?" he asked in a whisper. "What if I'd tried to get out of the house sooner? I could have saved her. I -could- have!" The blonde head bent down, and delicate hair swept over his face, hiding him from his Dreamscape.

Hinoto floated closer in her bubble, her face full of concern and sadness. "I'm sorry, Kakyou. I'm so very sorry..."

Kakyou brought his hands over his face and cried for the first time in many years, while a sad angel held his shoulders in small comfort.

- - - - - - - - - -

Seishirou downed two aspirin as soon as he returned home, checked his wristwatch, and resolved to take another dosage as soon as possible. Subaru took the glass of water out from his hands, refilled it, and ushered him to the dining table with strict orders to sit down and stay put.

The assassin did as he was told. His head hurt too much to argue; the car ride had done nothing for his condition.

"Seishirou-san, I'm going to make you some oden, all right?"

"All right, Subaru-kun."

While Subaru busied himself in the kitchen, Seishirou took the time to think, despite his aching head. He placed the stuffed squirrel on the table and stared at it. After a while, he didn't see the animal any longer, because he wasn't really looking at it.

_It means something,_ he thought. _I'm certain of it. But what is it?_ Subaru proclaimed to love him, but what did that -mean-?

He remembered telling Subaru, a long time ago, about the uselessness of love.

_"I don't know if this makes sense...but I think, in many instances, love simply isn't enough in this city. No matter how strongly you feel that love, it may just not be enough. After all, there's no place on earth where strong feelings alone are automatically rewarded."_

Subaru had looked at him curiously, wide green eyes confused and impressionable. He'd been so innocent then, and so willing to believe what Seishirou told him. "Then why do people love at all?" had been the child-like question in response. "If love is useless, what use could we have for such an emotion?"

Seishirou began to trace patterns on the dining table, amber and glass eye still staring at the squirrel. What had been his answer to that? Ah yes...

_"Because we're lonely. As long as we can love, we can dream. Humans aren't strong enough to live without their dreams."_

Where had he gotten that from? Seishirou never dreamt in the sense that he never had hopes and wistful designs for the future. He was the Sakurazukamori. His entire life was dedicated to serving the Sakurazuka. He had no life beyond that, and he certainly did not love.

Right?

So where had he come up with that response? True, he was a master actor. Subaru could certainly testify to that. He studied his prey, and learned to imitate them with perfection.

But he'd come up with that out of the top of his head.

Speaking of which, -really- hurt now. He abandoned his fruitless thoughts and closed his eyes. He placed two fingers to each temple and began to rub slowly in circles, wishing the aspirin would kick in soon.

The clatter of a plate and the smell of something delicious right beneath his nose prompted him to open his eyes again. He looked down into a bowl of very tasty looking stew.

"Subaru-kun, I never knew you could cook something that smells so delicious."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Seishirou-san," Subaru commented. He took a seat opposite the assassin. "Eat up. I hope it tastes as good as it smells."

It did. Seishirou told Subaru so, and was rewarded when the younger man beamed happily at him.

"You like the toy, Seishirou-san?" Subaru asked after a few minutes of silence.

Seishirou nodded, and sighed as the mental battle he'd been waging came back into play.

Subaru frowned. "Seishirou-san...is something wrong?"

Seishirou put down his chopsticks. He'd been meaning to have this conversation with Subaru, but hadn't yet found the time.

"Subaru-kun, why do you love me?" he asked.

Subaru stared at him. The assassin could just see the wheels spinning behind that brilliant green eye.

"What does that mean? 'Love'? And why me of all people?" he persisted.

Subaru stared at him for a few more moments, before leaning forward slightly and folding his hands together. The younger man's forehead knitted in thought. Seishirou waited patiently.

"I don't know," came the reply at last.

Seishirou blinked. "You don't know?"

Subaru paused for a moment, and then shook his head. "Nope."

"Then how do you know you love me if you don't even know why? You should hate me. I've beyond ruined your life. How can you forget that so easily?"

An emerald eye flashed briefly with something akin to anger. "I never said I'd forgotten."

Oops.

"I'm not even certain if I--" Subaru stopped abruptly, looking up at Seishirou for a moment. The assassin frowned. The younger onmyouji looked as if he'd wanted to say something, and decided against it. What could it be?

"I know I do love you, Seishirou-san. It's just that...it's not easy. I don't know you very well at all, really. I don't even know your favourite colour, although I could make an educated guess."

Seishirou smirked slightly at that.

Subaru sighed, and ran his hands through his short, dark hair. "I could try to describe what I feel when I think about you or look at you, but you wouldn't understand."

That was probably true. However, it did not help one bit.

"It's confusing for me, too, trust me. Just believe me when I say that I do, indeed, love you, Seishirou-san."

"But...I need to know -why-. What -is- love in the first place?" Seishirou persisted.

Subaru shrugged. "I can't tell you that. Maybe you need to figure that out for yourself. I can't explain it to you." Subaru rose from the table and left the room. A few seconds later, Seishirou heard a door open and close, telling him that the Sumeragi had retreated into his room.

Seishirou sat alone in the dining room with a stuffed squirrel and a cooling bowl of oden.

_That was -not- helpful_

As Subaru had risen from the table, he'd turned at such an angle that only his right eye had been visible.

Subaru's blind eye. The eye he'd lost for Seishirou.

And the older man felt a stab of...something...as he'd looked at it. When the incident had first occurred, he'd not known what to think. There had been some mild irritation at the Angel Kamui for marring his toy, but nothing too much, as Subaru was still alive.

But at Rainbow Bridge it had hit him harder.

_You lost an eye because you felt guilty, Subaru-kun. Why? Why did you do that? I lost mine to protect you because that day was still within the time requirements of the bet. But you...why did you Wish to lose that eye? That beautiful green eye?_

Once again it was driven into the Sakurazukamori how thoroughly he had ruined Subaru's life. It did not give him a pleasant feeling, that thought.

_Subaru-kun...why do you still want to be around me? What is this 'love' you feel? And why am I so willing to oblige you?_

He looked again at the squirrel in the vague hope that it might provide some answers.

But it just continued smiling at him, and kept its secrets to itself.

- - - - - - - - -

Kamui had decided to take a walk through a park. Not Ueno Park, but one close to CLAMP Campus. The other Seals were nearby; Sorata and Arashi had gone with Yuzuriha to pick up some schoolbooks for a report they'd forgotten about. Kamui wasn't in that class, and even if he had been, he wouldn't have cared much. He had math homework to do, but he'd missed so much class lately that the professor probably hadn't even noticed his absence. He hated math anyway.

Besides, school never ranked well in comparison to 'saving the world'.

The young boy kicked a stone in his path and watched it as it rolled away into the brush. He found himself likening it to the earth, just kicked aside beneath the trampling footsteps of fate. A fate he had helped to choose.

Violet eyes lowered and thin shoulders sank with depression. Ever since his mother had killed herself in that fire, his life had fallen swiftly further and further into despair. All he'd wanted to do was to protect the two people alive he'd cared for. Fuuma and Kotori.

And by that very act of choosing to protect, the latter was dead by the hands of the former, who wasn't even himself anymore.

And Kamui had resolved to bring Fuuma back. No matter what. It was the only thing that kept him going anymore. And he'd even begun to think that that was hopeless.

Until recently.

Kamui had always looked up to Subaru, ever since the day he'd met the man. He'd even developed something of a crush on him, more hero-worship than anything else, especially when compared to his feelings for the real Fuuma.

He'd known Subaru had Wished for something from Seishirou, and he'd known Seishirou was still the one 'special' to Subaru ever since the young onmyouji had gone Within Kamui. As it lay, he'd suspected Subaru had never wanted to kill Seishirou. He'd wanted something else, perhaps something akin to what Kamui wanted with Fuuma.

He'd watched Subaru's efforts proceed, and had taken to comparing the two older men to his plight with his own twin star.

And Subaru had made it. He and Seishirou had made it. Certainly, their fight wasn't over, but the hardest part of the struggle was done. The two were together, more or less.

Kamui had reason to hope again. Maybe it wasn't so impossible for him to bring Fuuma back. But if only he knew how...

Hinoto had given them no good news. Once she'd apologized even more about the misunderstanding after Seishirou and Subaru had left, she'd explained that Kakyou had managed to mangle the one vision that had gotten through to her. She'd been able to realize a kekkai was going to be attacked, but the other yumemi had apparently switched locations on her.

That was -not- good news at all. If Kakyou had found a way to actually -change- Hinoto's Dreams...

...the Seals might never be able to trust her prophecies again.

This was very bad.

Kamui kicked another rock out of his path and paused for a moment. He tilted his head up to look at the sky through the leafy tree branches. The boy sighed and brushed the stray hair from his face. He'd taken the walk to relax, but somehow that didn't seem to be happening. He just found himself fretting even more.

Maybe he should ask for help from Subaru. No...scratch that. Subaru's Wish had been to be killed by Seishirou. Kamui did -not- want Fuuma to kill him.

Maybe he would ask Seishirou, then. Perhaps the assassin would give some insight into why he'd 'changed', and maybe that would help clear the path for Kamui to reach Fuuma. Furthermore, Seishirou probably knew the Dark Kamui rather well, being one of his Angels. Character insight would always be helpful.

Of course, this was all assuming Seishirou was telling the truth. He knew from talking to Subaru that the older onmyouji was quite the deceiver. But the young Seal had been watching Seishirou very closely, and he -seemed- to be true.

_Well, it can't hurt to ask, now can it?_

Kamui began walking again. His mind was slightly clearer now, and he took the time to gaze at his surroundings. Sunlight streamed down through breaks in the leaves of the tall, broad trees, providing enough warmth to be comfortable, and yet not too much to be overpowering. The shadows and light mixed and played upon the greening brush. Twigs and dried leaves crackled beneath Kamui's shoes.

"How pretty," he murmured admiringly.

"Yes, it is, isn't it?"

Violet eyes shot open wide, and the boy froze, rooted to the spot by that voice more securely than if he'd been nailed to the ground.

"Funny we should run into each other here..._Kamui_." There was a soft thud behind him, as if a person had leapt to the ground from a perch on a tree branch. Kamui tensed even further as footsteps approached him from behind.

Finally, he was able to gather the courage to turn his head and body just enough to look behind him.

Fuuma stood two feet away from him, smiling as he always did when he saw Kamui: as a predator who'd spotted his favourite prey. "Out for a stroll?" he began conversationally, his amber eyes never loosing their spark of imminent danger. His hand reached out swiftly to tangle in Kamui's hair. "You know, you're not very welcome here, Kamui." The hand traced down his cheekbone to finger the small boy's throat. That hand could wrap easily around it; Kamui knew this from experience. The Seal didn't dare breathe. His heart was racing.

"The Earth does Wish for your death, and the death of humanity, after all," the Angel continued. His hand tightened slightly on the smaller boy's throat. Sunlight reflected perfectly off of Fuuma's small, rectangular glasses, for the moment hiding his eyes. The chilling and falsely amiable smile remained, however.

"F-Fuuma..." Kamui managed, violet eyes helpless and fearful.

Fuuma's smile disappeared. "No. I am _KAMUI_."

The last thought Kamui had before the world went white in his eyes was: _Oh god, big mistake_

- - - - - - - - -

Oden: A hearty Japanese stew, apparently a popular "comfort food", according to the translators of "Tokyo Babylon".

**For my wonderful reviewers . :**

**Yume-damo-shirinai:** Eheh...yeah...sorry about that wait. ; I hope to not make you suffer as much next semester though: I have no labs, which means I have about 40 more free hours each week. Shiny. It's not going to be easy for Seishirou, I can tell you that much. But when he finally does get his act together...it will be interesting.

**Uozumi:** Yes, I love teasing Seishirou, especially when he's vulnerable like this. It's so much fun. Glad you're still reading! But beware, the fluff will decrease in the next couple of chapters.

**Wai-Aki:** Heh heh! A lot of people seemed to like that squirrel. It will be playing somewhat of an important symbolic role in later chapters. You can kinda see it in this one too. Nope, not five months for this update! Once again, I'm sorry about that! O.o

**FungiFungusRayne:** 'Bomb in hand'? O.O Do you not like Kamui and Fuuma or something? hugs Kamui protectively You'll be seeing more of them, I guarantee it. ; Thanks for reading!

**Subaru's Voice:** Does that mean that if there -isn't- fluff, then you won't review? O.O gulps Eheh...sorry to say that the fluff will be lowering from this point on, although there will be little breaks. I have a trip to a fair planned for them at some point, which will be cute. Please stay with this! I promise Subar and Seishirou will have a nice fluffy ending! I can't promise the same for poor Kamui and Fuuma, but I'll try. O.o

Ifurita the Black: Nope, haven't updated on MediaMiner bacause that site seems to hate me as well. Oo; I'll keep trying over there, though. No, Hinoto won't break up Seishirou and Subaru. She'll try her darndest though, and who can say how close she'll get to succeeding? No, I'll never abandon this fic. Don't worry!  
  
MusiqMistress: Wow! I blush with the praise! Thank you so much! I'm glad you like this. Believe me though, there are plent out there who make my writing look like mush. If you have any constructive criticism, I'll be glad to hear it.


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